Press Releases

For Immediate Release                             Contact: Tionee Scotland
February 15, 2026                                                    202-808-6129

PRESS RELEASE

CONGRESSWOMAN PLASKETT MEETS WITH VIRGIN ISLANDS BOARD OF EDUCATION TO DISCUSS FUTURE OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR EDUCATION

WASHINGTON, DC — In February of 2026, Congresswoman Stacey E. Plaskett met with the Virgin Islands Board of Education to discuss the impact of recently enacted federal funding cuts on education in our territory.

The meeting focused on P.L. 119-21, the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which threatens essential programs and services that thousands of Virgin Islands families depend on every single day.

The budget reconciliation law cuts more than $840 billion from Medicaid and $300 billion from SNAP nationwide—programs that directly determine eligibility for free school meals. Fewer children will qualify for Medicaid and SNAP, putting the Virgin Islands' universal free school lunch program at risk. As fewer children qualify for these programs, our schools risk losing Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) eligibility—jeopardizing free meals for all students at a time when nearly 40% of Virgin Islands households face food insecurity.

The Virgin Islands Department of Education currently manages $115.5 million in federal grants, including funding from the U.S. Department of Education for programs like the Consolidated Grant, Special Education (IDEA), and Adult Education. Nearly $29.4 million comes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture for nutrition programs including the National School Lunch Program, Summer Food Services Program, and Fresh Fruits and Vegetables Program—which also support local farms and producers.

"This is about understanding what is coming and preparing our community," Congresswoman Plaskett said. “This law affects millions of children nationwide, and the Virgin Islands will feel these cuts deeply. When funding for school meals is cut, children lose their ability to focus in the classroom. When SNAP benefits are reduced, families face impossible choices between feeding their children and paying rent. As these changes take effect, no child in the Virgin Islands should go to school hungry, and no family should face these choices alone. We must work together—parents, educators, leaders, and our community—to navigate this reality and protect our children through the challenges ahead."

"The Virgin Islands already operates under different federal funding formulas than the states," said Dr. Kyza Callwood, Virgin Islands Board of Education Chairman. "We have less flexibility, fewer resources, and higher costs. When Washington cuts education and nutrition funding, Virgin Islands children go hungry. When they change SNAP eligibility, Virgin Islands families lose the ability to feed themselves. We cannot and will not accept that."

The urgency is compounded by the Trump administration's sweeping executive actions targeting schools nationwide—launching hundreds of investigations, freezing billions in federal grants, and dismantling the Department of Education itself. Half the Department’s workforce has been fired or departed, and the Office for Civil Rights now dismisses approximately 90% of discrimination complaints without investigation—up from 49% in 2010-2011. These executive actions, combined with the enacted budget cuts, create unprecedented uncertainty for schools and families across the country.

During the meeting, Congresswoman Plaskett and the Virgin Islands Board of Education emphasized the critical importance of parents, students, educators, and community leaders staying informed, advocating boldly, and standing together to protect children and families as these changes take effect.

"This is a defining moment," Congresswoman Plaskett concluded. "When parents, teachers, students, and leaders move together with purpose and clarity, we can effect change. The children of the Virgin Islands are worth that fight."

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