Recent decisions—including the cancellation of education research and teacher training grants, the reduction of the federal education workforce, and the withholding of critical education funds—have raised serious questions about the federal government’s commitment to ensuring equal access to a quality education for all students.

Join the Center for American Progress for a discussion to explore the implications of these actions at the local level and assess how they are affecting schools’ ability to have a strong start to the academic year. Panelists will also discuss the effects these actions are having on students, educators, and families and what state and district leaders can do to help mitigate these effects. The discussion will conclude with an analysis of education funding rescissions and the fiscal year 2026 federal education budget.