On October 1, 2025, the U.S. federal government shut down for the first time in nearly seven years after Congress failed to pass full-year appropriations for fiscal year 2026 or a continuing resolution to maintain funding. A partisan disagreement over funding levels and whether to renew subsidies under the Affordable Care Act was the root of the shutdown.
“A government shutdown happens when Congress can’t agree on a budget in time, so certain parts of the government temporarily lose funding. Essential services continue, but a lot of day-to-day government operations pause until an agreement is reached,” social studies teacher Mr. Laugen said. “They create uncertainty, disrupt people’s lives, and highlight how important it is for leaders to find common ground.”
During the shutdown, many government-funded programs were affected in many ways. Examples include national parks, which were open but unstaffed, the suspension of job reports, which delayed the release of employment data, and the disruption of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, which stopped issuing November benefit payments. Here at NHP, faculty and staff contributed food and grocery store gift cards for local families impacted by the loss of SNAP funding.
“The government shutdown affected a lot of important services, but I think the SNAP one really got to me. I remember hearing about it on the radio when driving to school. People, especially lower-income families, rely on this service a lot because it helps them buy food,” sophomore Zhixuan Wu said.
The Department of Education had many of its core operations still able to function, but some came to a halt due to the shutdown. A major one is the delays in funding for federal financial aid for students. Those who complete Free Application for Federal Student Aid forms will have to wait longer for updates on their submission status. However, even with the delay and the shutdown, the amount of aid students receive will remain unaffected.
“A shutdown wouldn’t close our school, but it can still cause some ripple effects. Some programs that rely on federal funding could see delays if the shutdown lasts a while, and families who work for the federal government might feel extra stress. Even if classes go on as usual, that stress can show up in the school community,” social studies teacher Mr. Laugen said.
“I know this has happened in the past before with previous shutdowns, and I’m glad students are still able to get the aid they need. I hope it doesn’t cause any severe consequences to them,” sophomore Esthefany Ramos-Quintanilla said.
On November 12, forty-three days later, President Trump signed a deal officially ending the shutdown. The aftermath of the shutdown left new developments as well as uncertainties. For example, data regarding things such as U.S. economy statistics is slowly being recovered, though there are likely to be some permanent gaps in the month of October. There are also no guarantees with the extension of ACA subsidies.
“I heard from my parents that this government shutdown was the longest in U.S. history. I really hope we can continue moving forward together as a country,” eighth grader Matteo Glavic said.
