In 2005, Jonathan Kozol’s The Shame of the Nation powerfully critiqued the deeply entrenched educational inequalities that have disproportionately harmed Black, Latino, and low-income students. Kozol exposed the systemic racial and economic segregation that has continued to plague American schools, and his analysis remains deeply relevant today. However, the future of U.S. public education is at risk of becoming even bleaker under the Trump administration, especially as the federal government's role in education continues to be weakened.
The K-12 Pipeline: A Growing Divide
The K-12 pipeline to higher education—the path students follow from early childhood through to high school—is increasingly segmented, with disparities in the quality of education between wealthy and low-income districts widening. Kozol’s focus on how underfunded urban schools limit students' opportunities remains central today. A new Trump administration, with Linda McMahon potentially leading the Department of Education, threatens to exacerbate these existing divides.
McMahon, with little background in public education, will champion policies that reduce federal oversight, resulting in less accountability for schools, particularly those in marginalized communities. The federal funding that historically helped level the playing field, particularly through programs like Title I, could be slashed, further undermining schools in low-income neighborhoods. As a result, these schools would continue to fall behind, denying their students the resources and opportunities needed to succeed in higher education.
The Impact of Charter Schools and Privatization
The Trump administration's push to expand charter schools is another major policy shift that could further fragment the education system. Charter schools, while often touted as innovative solutions for struggling students, have been criticized for contributing to the already entrenched inequality that Kozol highlighted. Although some charter schools provide high-quality education, many are selective, serving predominantly higher-income students. By draining resources away from traditional public schools, charter schools perpetuate the educational divide, leaving students in underfunded public schools without the same opportunities.
The rise in charter schools often leads to an increase in school segregation, as wealthier families gain access to better-funded charter schools while lower-income students remain trapped in poorly funded public schools. This trend is especially harmful to Black, Latino, and low-income students, whose educational outcomes are already significantly worse than those of their wealthier peers. The expansion of charter schools under the Trump administration, combined with a decrease in public school funding, could result in further neglect for students in the most vulnerable communities.
Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education
Under Linda McMahon, the federal government’s role in ensuring educational equity will diminish drastically. The department has long played a critical role in enforcing civil rights protections and promoting equal access to education for all students, especially those from historically marginalized communities. Under McMahon’s leadership, however, the department may reduce its oversight, weakening protections for disadvantaged students and further deregulating education standards.
Dismantling the Department of Education will severely impact
funding for some of the most vital programs for disadvantaged students,
particularly those from low-income families and students with
disabilities. Title I, which provides essential funding to help poor
schools close achievement gaps, could be gutted or eliminated, leaving
millions of students without the resources they need to succeed. Schools
in high-poverty areas rely on Title I funds to provide tutoring,
after-school programs, and other support services that directly address
educational inequality. Similarly, the Individuals with Disabilities
Education Act (IDEA), which mandates funding for special education
programs, could face significant cuts or be poorly managed if oversight
is moved to less equipped agencies. Students with disabilities, who rely
on specialized services and accommodations to succeed in school, would
be at greatest risk of losing access to the tailored support they need.
Without these protections, both vulnerable children and their schools
could face a future where educational opportunities are increasingly
limited, further entrenching inequality and leaving these children
behind.
With fewer safeguards in place, the privatization of education could become the norm, as more school services, including special education and after-school programs, are outsourced to private companies. This would leave the most vulnerable students without the necessary support to succeed, particularly in crucial areas like literacy and numeracy.
The Growing Literacy Crisis: Math and Reading Inequality
The persistent gaps in math and reading literacy are among the most pressing challenges in American education. Despite efforts to improve educational outcomes, a significant disparity remains in the proficiency levels of students based on race and socioeconomic status. According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), only about 35% of Black and Latino 4th-graders are proficient in reading, compared to 50% of White students. Similarly, in math, only 25% of Black and Latino 8th-graders reach proficiency, compared to nearly 45% of White students.
These gaps are not merely statistical—they represent the unequal opportunities that students in underserved schools face. When underfunded schools struggle to attract and retain qualified teachers, or fail to provide students with essential learning resources, these disparities deepen. In a system where wealthy districts receive far more funding and resources, these gaps are perpetuated.
Under the Trump administration’s proposed policies, which prioritize charter schools and private sector involvement, students in public schools—especially those in impoverished areas—could see even fewer resources dedicated to addressing these literacy gaps. Charter schools, with their selective nature, may be able to provide higher-quality instruction in some cases, but this further isolates students who remain in traditional public schools with large class sizes and inadequate materials.
Making US Schools Less Accountable
Social Promotion: Masking the Problem Until It’s Too Late
One of the most damaging practices exacerbating the literacy crisis in American schools is social promotion—the practice of advancing students to the next grade level, despite their failure to meet basic academic standards. Social promotion is often used to avoid the stigma of holding students back, but in reality, it perpetuates the cycle of educational inequity by masking deep-rooted academic struggles.
For students in underfunded schools—particularly those in low-income neighborhoods—social promotion delays crucial interventions. Students who are promoted without mastering basic literacy and numeracy skills are allowed to move forward with significant gaps in their knowledge. By the time they reach high school, it is often too late to catch up, and many of these students find themselves unprepared for the rigors of higher education or the workforce.
Social promotion is particularly harmful for students of color, who are already more likely to attend schools with fewer resources and less experienced teachers. When these students are promoted despite not having the foundational skills needed for success, they are set up for failure. This delayed intervention further widens the achievement gap and reduces their chances of succeeding in higher education.
As the Trump administration’s policies could continue to reduce federal oversight and place more control in the hands of state and local governments, the problem of social promotion could go unchecked. Without a strong, federally mandated system of accountability, more students may be left behind, and the opportunity to fix the systemic issues before it’s too late will be missed.
The Danger of Increasing Segregation: School Discipline and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
In addition to the academic challenges, discipline policies in schools have long contributed to the inequities Kozol highlighted. The school-to-prison pipeline, which disproportionately impacts Black and Latino students, has resulted in higher rates of suspension, expulsion, and even criminal justice involvement for students of color. Under the Trump administration, this pipeline could be exacerbated by loosening federal regulations and reducing accountability for discriminatory disciplinary practices.
The expansion of charter schools could further isolate students of color, as these schools often have less stringent rules for discipline and may screen out students who are considered high-risk. This leaves public schools, especially in poorer neighborhoods, dealing with the fallout of disproportionate discipline practices, which can lead to higher dropout rates, decreased academic engagement, and fewer opportunities for college readiness.
The Path Forward: A Deepening Crisis or Hope for Reform?
While the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education and the increased push for charter schools under the Trump administration threaten to deepen the educational crisis, there is still hope. Advocacy for stronger public education, equitable funding, and systemic reform must continue to be at the forefront of the national conversation. Kozol’s work serves as a powerful reminder of the devastating consequences of neglecting America’s most vulnerable students. Without urgent action to address the disparities in educational resources, teacher quality, and funding, the gaps in math and reading literacy will only grow wider, and the K-12 pipeline to higher education will become more fragmented.
Efforts to combat these inequities could include increased investment in early childhood education, improved access to social-emotional learning programs, and a renewed commitment to ensuring that all students, regardless of race or background, have access to the same opportunities for success. However, this can only happen if the federal government plays a strong role in holding schools accountable and ensuring equitable access to resources.
Ultimately, as Kozol’s critique has shown, the educational divide in America will continue to grow unless systemic changes are made. If the focus shifts away from equity and toward privatization and deregulation, the cycle of educational inequality will continue to harm the students who need help the most, leaving them without the tools they need to succeed in higher education and beyond.
