The federal government’s shutdown threatens far-reaching impacts on everything from air traffic control to national parks. But Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools officials say the impact on schools is minimal — at least for now.
The CMS Board of Education issued a statement Tuesday morning, reaffirming guidance from the state’s Department of Public Instruction that says schools will largely be spared from any major impacts from the shutdown.
“Although the federal government shutdown has limited impact on public education at this time, the Board understands that the effect on our families and communities goes beyond the classroom,” Board Chair Stephanie Sneed said in a statement.
Among the most prominent federal programs is the School Nutrition Program that helps schools provide free- and reduced-price lunches to students. But the USDA has indicated it has three months’ worth of funding for the program on hand, so no impact is expected unless the shutdown stretches closer to that unprecedented mark.
The Department of Education has ceased all new grant-making activities, but CMS says this has no impact on the district.
In a memo last week, state Superintendent Mo Green said he expects the impact to be minimal for most schools for now, but urged caution. The Trump Administration froze some already-allocated federal funds this summer, which prompted pushback from educators across the country before the administration ultimately restored the funding.
"We have to be prepared for circumstances to be different with this federal administration," Green wrote.
