In 1979, the administration of former U.S. President Jimmy Carter achieved a slim 210-to-206 victory in the House to establish a cabinet-level Department of Education. Now, 46 years later, President Donald Trump is nearing the realization of a long-held conservative goal: the complete dissolution of this department.
On Thursday, President Trump issued an executive order instructing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to initiate the shutdown process for the government agency. The order mandates Ms. McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and restore authority over education to the States and local communities,” as far as the law allows.
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This action represents a significant upheaval in the American education landscape and has been a central theme for Republicans for many decades. While outright closure of the department would necessitate Congressional action, Trump’s administration has already taken steps to diminish its influence. The department’s workforce has been reduced by half, its research arm, the Institute of Education Sciences, has undergone severe cuts, and the Department Of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by billionaire Elon Musk, has eliminated various contracts labeled as “woke.”
The White House stated, “Since 1979, the U.S. Department of Education has spent over $3 trillion with little to demonstrate for it. Even as per-pupil spending has soared by more than 245 percent during this time, there has been almost no measurable enhancement in student performance.”
The U.S. Department of Education is responsible for distributing billions in federal funding to educational institutions, overseeing civil rights protections, and managing the federal student loan program. Trump’s proposal raises concerns about the future of these essential functions.
What Does Trump Want
President Trump and his supporters argue that federal oversight, especially through the Department of Education, has not benefited students, teachers, or parents. His rationale for dismantling the department is grounded in a well-known conservative perspective: that education should be administered at the state and local levels.
Trump’s order emphasized, “Our Nation’s bright future depends on empowered families, engaged communities, and outstanding educational opportunities for every child.”
He aims to cut off federal funding to schools and universities that endorse what he terms “critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content.”
Trump stated, “After 45 years, the United States spends far more on education than any other nation and spends significantly more per pupil than any other country, yet we rank near the bottom in terms of success. We are at the bottom, and we’ve been there for a long time. Seventy percent of eighth graders are not proficient in either reading or math. Forty percent of fourth graders lack even basic reading skills. Our public elementary and middle schools score worse in reading today than when the department was established, by a considerable margin.”
However, Trump’s “bottom of the list” assertion was fact-checked by Nat Malkus, a senior fellow and deputy director of education policy at the conservative American Enterprise Institute.
“No matter how you we assess it, the U.S. is not at the bottom of international rankings. Most international evaluations place the U.S. in the middle tier,” Malkus told news agency AFP.
According to the executive order, American taxpayers provided nearly $200 billion in federal funds for schools during the pandemic, in addition to the existing $60 billion allocated annually for federal school funding.
Trump remarked, “In Baltimore, 40 percent of high schools have zero students capable of doing basic mathematics – not even the simplest arithmetic. We’re talking about adding a few numbers together.”
Democratic Backlash: “See You in Court”
Trump’s executive order has prompted a swift and strong response from Democrats.
Democratic Senator Patty Murray said, “We should concentrate on helping our children with math and reading—the fundamentals they require for success. No one is calling for three out-of-touch billionaires to dismantle the Department of Education over some extreme far-right cultural battle.”
“By taking a wrecking ball to the department, Trump is complicating financial aid access for students, endangering the funding that schools and families rely on daily, and facilitating predatory businesses to exploit students,” she added.
Democratic Senator Tina Smith proclaimed, “We know your goal is to exhaust us. But for the record, I am not overwhelmed. My area isn’t flooding. I will contest your illegal activities until the cows come home, and I’m confident that the hundreds of thousands who have contacted my office since you began this ridiculousness share the same resolve.”
American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten stated, “See you in court.”
While Ms. McMahon is charged with dismantling the agency, certain programs are mandated by Congress and cannot be eliminated without legislative action.
What Does The Department Do
The majority of the Education Department’s funding for K-12 education—ranging from Kindergarten through Grade 12—comes from Title I, which supports low-income schools, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). These programs assist in financing special education services, additional teaching positions, and school counselors.
A key duty of the department is managing $1.5 trillion in student loan debt for over 40 million borrowers. It is also in charge of the Pell Grant program and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
During former President Joe Biden’s tenure, the Education Department made student debt relief a focal point of its agenda. Although a Supreme Court ruling struck down his loan forgiveness plan, Biden’s administration has discharged over $175 billion in student debt for 4.8 million borrowers through targeted initiatives. Trump has strongly criticized Biden’s student debt relief efforts as “illegal” and “unfair.”
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights enforces anti-discrimination laws in educational institutions, investigating cases pertaining to race, gender, and disability rights. Under Biden, the office broadened protections for LGBTQ+ students, issued guidance on racial disparities in discipline, and gathered data on educational inequities.
Trump’s administration has already shifted its focus, pledging to exclude transgender students from Title IX protections, a crucial law against sex-based discrimination in educational settings.
Can Trump Shut Down The Department?
No, he cannot do it alone.
The U.S. President would require Congressional approval, with at least 60 out of 100 senators in favor, which appears unlikely at this juncture given the Republicans hold only a 53-47 majority in the Senate.
