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A Tennessee education advocacy group is voicing concerns about Project 2025, which aims to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and transfer control of education funding to states.

In Tennessee, more than 1 million students are enrolled in more than 1,800 schools in 141 school districts.

Alexa Barajas Clark, interim executive director of the Education Trust-Tennessee, explained the Tennessee Legislature last year formed a study group to explore the effects of rejecting federal funding. She added undermining the federal government’s role or rejecting funding altogether could have significant consequences.

“Tennessee could not ensure that all students, especially those from rural communities, students with disabilities, students from low-income backgrounds, they could not guarantee that they would continue to receive the funding and the necessary support and interventions and the services that they would need to receive an equitable education,” Barajas Clark outlined.

She pointed out dismantling the department would need congressional approval. In the meantime, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee supports President-elect Trump’s plan to shut down the department. Lee believes Tennessee is best equipped to decide how to spend education dollars and welcomes redirecting federal education funds to the state’s public schools.

Barajas Clark stressed the need for education policies to prioritize individual students. She noted while progress has been made in addressing pandemic-related learning loss, dismantling efforts would undo gains, and further restrictions are unnecessary.

“States, especially in Tennessee, are already and have already been doing a lot of what’s being proposed without the need to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education,” Barajas Clark contended. “There’s a voucher bill, there’s monitoring of curriculum and controlling what’s being taught in the classroom. All of that is being done at the state level.”

Barajas Clark pointed out the Education Freedom Act of 2025 was filed the day after the election, to propose an expansion to a voucher program in Tennessee. Public schools in Tennessee serve nine of 10 students.