It’s uncertain how Whidbey’s school districts will be affected by a recent executive order that seeks to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and cut programs and resources offered to school districts around the country.

In a press release, State Superintendent Chris Reykdal said the extent of the harm brought by the order, signed by U.S. President Donald Trump, is still unclear, but state legislators must prepare to “double down” on their investments in public education.

According to a map included in the press release, 17.3% of the Oak Harbor School District’s funding comes from the federal government, while the Coupeville and South Whidbey school districts receive 6.2% and 5.7% respectively — less than the statewide average of 6.9%.

The three districts told the News-Times they are waiting for more details and guidance.

If faced with the loss of federal funds, Coupeville School District Superintendent Shannon Leatherwood said the district would need to evaluate its programs based on efficiency (while still committing to vulnerable student populations), restructure staffing and resources and potentially make some cuts to a budget that is already tight.

”If federal funding diminishes without corresponding increases in state support, districts across Washington may need to seek additional local funding,” Leatherwood wrote in an email.

Jo Moccia, Superintendent of the South Whidbey School District, pointed out that the state has been underfunding public education and that the district is already collecting the maximum amount of levy dollars allowed by the state.

In a video addressing his constituents, Rep. Rick Larsen said the dismantlement would affect grants for college students, funding for special education and programs that create a baseline of opportunities for all district regardless of how poor or rich they are.

According to Oak Harbor Public Schools Communications Officer Sarah Foy, it’s also unclear whether the closure of the Department of Education would affect Impact Aid, a federal program that funds school districts on federal property, like Oak Harbor’s Crescent Harbor, HomeConnection and Hand-in-Hand, which have a significant number of military families.

According to the executive order, titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities,” the department promotes Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (or DEI) and gender ideology and has failed students, whose reading and math scores are near historical lows, as well as families, and therefore must hand authority over education back to the states and local communities.

Reykdal and Larsen condemned the order and challenged its legality. The department was created by Congress in 1979 and can only be dissolved by Congress, they said.

While he acknowledged that some of the federal education overreach over the past 25 years must be reduced, Reykdal said this change should be addressed in Congress in collaboration with the states.

The executive order, he wrote, aims at promoting private schools, leading to greater disparities between student demographics.

“For decades, the Department has aimed to support our nation’s students who are furthest from educational equality – students experiencing poverty, students with disabilities and multilingual/English learners,” Reykdal wrote.

Note: This story was updated to include quotes and information provided by the three school districts, who could not respond to a request for comment before press time.