Probably?
Not necessary because of the department of education, but it probably hasn't grown worse the past 40 years.
I'll cop to not knowing exactly what oversight it has. I suppose it could dissolve. I wonder what kind of federal money comes down and how it gets distributed.
First, the Department of Education distributes title 1 funds. This is federal money earmarked for schools in poor districts. When people talk about getting rid of the DOE, this is usually what they are talking about*. They also issue Pell grants, student loans, and special education funding. 91% of their budget goes into these buckets.
Second, the DOE oversees school districts to prevent things like discrimination. You know why so many people were upset back in the 1970s? They couldn't carve out the "bad element" into their own school district anymore.
Third, the DOE protects children. If you are from a small town, with a small town superintendent, and they tell you to root for the Buckeyes or fail, you can either root for the Buckeyes, or you can complain to the DOE.
Fourth, the DOE holds schools to a national education standard. There was a time, not long ago, where Alabama had their own standardized testing, and Massachusetts also had their own. Which state do you think set lower standards? Now, of course, we can look at standardized testing and see just how well Massachusetts compares with Alabama.
of course, they do MUCH more than this.
*Not necessarily because they hate the poor or people of color. There is some debate as to whether or not these funds would be used in a different way that would be more effective. But that's politics.
