New Report: How Medicaid Cuts Will Harm Students & Schools
March 13, 2025
A nationwide survey of K-12 school district leaders shows widespread concern over children’s access to school-based health services if Congress cuts Medicaid.
The survey and companion report, released today, includes analysis and dozens of comments from respondents about the expected hardships for students, schools and communities. More than 1,400 school district leaders, including administrators, Medicaid coordinators and health providers from all 50 states and D.C., completed the survey.
Almost half of the respondents are from rural school districts, where more children are covered by Medicaid and schools play an outsize role in providing physical, behavioral and mental healthcare due to provider shortages, long travel distances and limited connectivity.
Join us in amplifying what Medicaid means to students, schools and communities with these resources:
- How Medicaid Cuts Will Harm Students and Schools — short link: bit.ly/school-medicaid-cuts
- Executive Summary
- Press Release
- Dropbox Graphics Folder — high-res data graphs and quotes from survey participants
- March 12 Webinar recording — get an overview of the proposed cuts and learn about advocacy efforts urging Congress to protect Medicaid
Among the findings:
- 80% of respondents said that if Medicaid is cut, their school district would reduce specialized instructional support personnel, including school nurses, school psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and occupational and physical therapists.
- 70% would reduce mental and behavioral health services.
- 62% would reduce student resources, including assistive equipment and technology for students with disabilities.
- 58% would reduce overall prevention and early intervention services, including asthma, vision and hearing screenings.
- Healthcare isn’t the only area that would be affected: 90% of respondents anticipate that Medicaid cuts would lead to reductions across their school district’s budget, outside of health services.Healthy Schools Campaign (HSC) developed and distributed the survey in partnership with The School Superintendents Association (AASA); Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO); National Alliance for Medicaid in Education (NAME); and Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE).
For additional information, contact Jessie Mandle, HSC’s national program director.
Cross-posted at HealthySchoolsCampaign.org
