Recent drastic cuts to the Department of Education could have far-reaching effects on local school funding and services for vulnerable students, officials say. Why it matters: The city and state are struggling with education budgets at current levels.

The Trump administration has made it clear their goal is to dismantle the Department of Education entirely, and that is causing a lot of concern and fear among educators in Illinois.

Concern about the funds is growing now that staffing at the agency has been cut by nearly 50% — from 4,133 to 2,183.