WORCESTER, Mass. - The Trump administration is working to overhaul the U.S. Department of Education and potentially attempt to dismantle portions of it with an executive order as early as this week.

The American Federation of Teachers is a union which advocates for high-quality public education. While it would require congressional approval to close the department of education, which is something President Trump has advocated for, we’re hearing any level of cutbacks will impact all levels of education from early to higher-ed.

“The implications of what the Department of Education does," Jessica Tang said, "and how it will impact local school districts is something that we're very concerned about.”

American Federation of Teachers Massachusetts president Jessica Tang said while schools are controlled locally, cutting back on or closing the Education Department would mean losing critical federal funding at a time where the state is already seeing fiscal crisis in terms of not enough funding for schools.

“This is something that actually, if the funding is taken away, will impact our local school districts because we won't have the funding then for these critical positions," Tang said. "Whether it be the early intervention educators or the special education teachers, services like occupational therapy, physical therapy.”

Without the Department of Education, Tang said nationally, about 26-million students would lose critical services and about 70.5-million students with disabilities would lose access to special education.

“In Massachusetts alone, we're talking about 183,000 students with disabilities who would lose supports that they, currently receive through IDEA, which is federal funding for students with disabilities," Tang said. "41,000 infants and toddlers who would lose funding that allows them to receive early intervention. And we're talking about, also millions of dollars and title one funds, which helps to support any school district that serves low-income students.”

Now as the potential order to abolish the department looms, Tang said AFT is working with the state delegation and legislators to advocate for education.

“We also we need help. We know that the federal government has, rolled back some of the initial cuts they've made, and they've only done so, when everyday people really speak out and share that it is not okay," Tang said. "We believe in our public schools, and we need people to help join us and fight back and make sure that we make it very clear that we will not accept cuts to our critical services, including public education and something that is just foundational to democracy.”

Tang added cuts are already happening. The research arm of the department of education as well as grants to support teacher pipelines and address the teacher shortage have already been cut from the U.S Department of Education even without the potential order.