Manheim Township residents fear loss of school resources after federal funding threat
CALLING FOR ACTION IN RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S RECENT EXECUTIVE ORDER CALLING FOR THE DISMANTLING OF THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION. THANKS FOR JOINING US ON NEWS EIGHT AT 11. I’M MCKENNA ALEXANDER. IF THE LEGISLATION IS ENACTED, IT COULD BRING MAJOR FUNDING CUTS FOR DISADVANTAGED AND SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS IN THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY, LEAVING SOME RESIDENTS CONCERNED ABOUT THE FUTURE OF THEIR SCHOOLS. THE THREAT OF THIS HAS MANHEIM TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS COMING TOGETHER TO BE PROACTIVE IN FINDING SOLUTIONS FOR THEIR STUDENTS. NEWS EIGHT’S TAYLOR HESS JOINS US LIVE TO SHARE THEIR CONCERNS. TAYLOR. MCKENNA. WELL, PRESS WAS NOT ALLOWED INSIDE TODAY’S MEETING AT MANHEIM TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY. RESIDENTS TELL US THE OVERALL FEELING THAT FILLED THAT ROOM WAS WORRY AS THEY DISCUSSED THE POTENTIAL ACTION THAT THEY COULD TAKE AGAINST THE POSSIBLE CUTS. I THINK PUBLIC EDUCATION, OUR PUBLIC SCHOOLS, THEY’RE A BIG PART OF OUR ECONOMY. WITH THE THREAT OF SLASHED FEDERAL EDUCATION FUNDING, ONE LANCASTER COUNTY COMMUNITY IS COMING TOGETHER TO DISCUSS THE POTENTIAL IMPACTS IT COULD HAVE ON CLASSROOMS AND SUPPORT AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS AT RISK OF LOSING CRITICAL RESOURCES. EVERY DOLLAR IS IMPORTANT BECAUSE EVERY DOLLAR SHOULD BE GOING TO SERVE STUDENTS AND THEIR NEEDS. SATURDAY MORNING, THE MANHEIM TOWNSHIP PUBLIC LIBRARY WAS FILLED WITH OVER 100 CONCERNED RESIDENTS FROM VARIOUS DISTRICTS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTY AS THEY GATHERED TO DISCUSS THE CRITICAL ROLE OF PUBLIC SCHOOLS. THEY ARE SOME OF OUR LARGEST EMPLOYERS IN LANCASTER COUNTY. THEY ARE THE BACKBONE OF OUR DEMOCRACY, AND THEY’RE AN EQUALIZING FORCE IN SOCIETY FOR OUR KIDS. WE PROVIDE A LOT TO HELP THEM SUCCEED. BUT PROVIDING EQUAL ACCESS TO ACADEMICS, ESPECIALLY FOR UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES AND SPECIAL EDUCATION STUDENTS, IS NOW IN LIMBO, LEAVING PARENTS, TEACHERS AND STUDENTS UNCERTAIN ABOUT HOW TO FUND CERTAIN PROGRAMS WITHOUT FEDERAL DOLLARS. IT PUTS THINGS LIKE OUR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH PROGRAMS AT RISK. IT PUTS SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES AT RISK. THOSE ARE THOSE ARE SOME OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS THAT WE WOULD THAT COULD BE IMPACTED FOR OUR STUDENTS IF THOSE DOLLARS WENT AWAY, IT WOULD BE VERY DIFFICULT FOR US TO PROVIDE THE SERVICES THAT WE’RE LEGALLY REQUIRED TO, TO PROVIDE IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS. A RISK AND A WORRY THAT, FOR NOW, CAN ONLY BE ALLEVIATED THROUGH ACTION, WHICH IS WHY MANHEIM TOWNSHIP RESIDENTS ARE URGING THEIR NEIGHBORS TO STEP UP AND JOIN THEIR FIGHT. I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT FOR US TO LOOK BEYOND OUR OWN DISTRICT, TO THE WHOLE COUNTY, THE STATE AND BEYOND. STATE REPRESENTATIVE NIKKI RIVERA ALSO ATTENDED TODAY’S EVENT TO SUPPORT THE COUNTY. AS A FORMER TEACHER HERSELF.
Manheim Township residents fear loss of school resources after federal funding threat
Updated: 11:31 PM EDT Mar 29, 2025
In Lancaster County, a school community is calling for action in response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order calling for the dismantling of the Department of Education.The move could bring major funding cuts for disadvantaged and special education students in the Susquehanna Valley.The threat has led Manheim Township residents to get together and discuss what they can do for their students. Roughly 120 people packed into the Manheim Township Public Library to hear from experts and panelists about how to take action and protect students from the potential effects of funding cuts. While Saturday’s meeting was closed to the media, WGAL News 8 had the chance to catch up with multiple residents after the event. Meeting attendees said the event provided more information on how federal funding is used in local public schools and how proposed cuts will impact Lancaster County classrooms. The discussion included residents, state Rep. Nikki Rivera and some teachers, who said they’re worried that cuts to federal funding will hurt their school’s ability to provide some critical services. “If those dollars went away, it would be very difficult for us to provide the services that we’re legally required to provide in public schools,” said Samantha McNally, an organizer with Indivisible Manheim Township. That concern was echoed by Manheim Township’s school board president, Sara Woodbury. “About two percent of our budget comes directly from federal funding. But again, they’re indirect federal funds. With the uncertainty at the federal level, it puts things like our free and reduced lunch programs at risk. It puts special education services at risk. Those are some of the most important things,” Woodbury said. Manheim Township residents are now urging their neighbors to step up and join their fight.
MANHEIM TOWNSHIP, Pa. —In Lancaster County, a school community is calling for action in response to President Donald Trump’s recent executive order calling for the dismantling of the Department of Education.
The move could bring major funding cuts for disadvantaged and special education students in the Susquehanna Valley.
The threat has led Manheim Township residents to get together and discuss what they can do for their students.
Roughly 120 people packed into the Manheim Township Public Library to hear from experts and panelists about how to take action and protect students from the potential effects of funding cuts.
While Saturday’s meeting was closed to the media, WGAL News 8 had the chance to catch up with multiple residents after the event.
Meeting attendees said the event provided more information on how federal funding is used in local public schools and how proposed cuts will impact Lancaster County classrooms.
The discussion included residents, state Rep. Nikki Rivera and some teachers, who said they’re worried that cuts to federal funding will hurt their school’s ability to provide some critical services.
“If those dollars went away, it would be very difficult for us to provide the services that we’re legally required to provide in public schools,” said Samantha McNally, an organizer with Indivisible Manheim Township.
That concern was echoed by Manheim Township’s school board president, Sara Woodbury.
“About two percent of our budget comes directly from federal funding. But again, they’re indirect federal funds. With the uncertainty at the federal level, it puts things like our free and reduced lunch programs at risk. It puts special education services at risk. Those are some of the most important things,” Woodbury said.
Manheim Township residents are now urging their neighbors to step up and join their fight.
