Statement from Our Executive Director on Cuts at the Department of Education

Last week, nearly half of the U.S. Department of Education was let go, marking the first steps in the attempt to dismantle the agency, including the eradication of the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA)—the only federal office dedicated to supporting English learners. Established under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA), OELA plays a vital role in ensuring that multilingual learners receive the necessary resources and support to thrive.

While only Congress has the authority to abolish an entire cabinet-level agency, these cuts represent a direct attack on the educational rights of multilingual learners and other historically marginalized students. The consequences extend beyond English Learners, raising serious concerns about the future of college financial aid, student loan management, and civil rights enforcement.

How These Cuts Could Impact Schools

Here is a sampling of national resources and articles outlining how these cuts could impact schools both in California and nationwide, as well as actions we can take:

• “Trump guts the Education Department with massive layoffs; shock waves reach California,” Howard Blume, Jaweed Kaleem and Jenny Gold, LA Times, March 12, 2025
• “Targeting the Vulnerable: How the Trump Administration’s Actions Harm Young Children and Their Families,” Aaron Lowenberg, New America, March 10, 2025
• #SaveOurStudents: Advocacy Toolkit to Organize for Success, EdTrust
• “TCF Leaders Speak Out on Assault on Education by the Trump Administration,” The Century Foundation, March 12, 2025
• “UnidosUS Condemns Trump Administration’s Dangerous Action to Dismantle U.S. Department of Education,” UnidosUS, March 12, 2025

Take Action Now.

We stand with our partners at Californians Together in urging you—our allies and champions of education—to contact your representatives and voice your concerns. 

📞 Make Your Voice Heard:


Visit 5calls.org and enter your zip code to find your representatives. Staff members log calls daily and relay constituent concerns to their elected officials.

How to Call:

• Calls take 1-2 minutes each
• Contact 2 senators and 1 representative
• Call daily—voicemail boxes often fill up within 30-60 seconds

Sample call script:
(Feel free to personalize to fit your local and state context)

“Hello, my name is [Your Name], and I am a [teacher/parent/community member] from [City, State]. I’m calling to urge [Senator/Representative] [Last Name] to protect the Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) in the U.S. Department of Education.

OELA is the only federal office dedicated to supporting English learners, and it is established by law under Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). The recent dismantling of OELA will cause irreparable harm to English Learner students who are a federally protected group under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VI) and the Equal Educational Opportunities Act of 1974 (EEOA), their families, and teachers nationwide.

Top 3 Reasons to Protect OELA:[option to further elaborate if time allows]

• Supports Students & Families: Over 5 million English learners rely on OELA-funded programs to succeed academically.
• Empowers Teachers & Schools: OELA provides essential funding, professional development, and research to help educators implement effective practices for English Learners.
• Strengthens the Economy & Workforce: English learners are the future of our workforce. Investing in their success ensures a more competitive workforce and stronger communities.

I urge [Senator/Representative] [Last Name] to uphold the commitments made under federal law and oppose any efforts to eliminate or weaken OELA.

Thank you for your time and for supporting students, families, and teachers.”

Above all, we would like to take this opportunity to remind our partners: SEAL stands with you. We are here to collaborate, support, and assist educators as they navigate this turbulence. We will not be distracted from our core mission to support our partner schools as they work to create joyful, multilingual learning environments that make students more successful. 

Please visit our news page for timely updates, valuable resources and guidance to support you and your students. And please, never hesitate to reach out with questions. We are here to support you however we can.