President Donald Trump is advancing his agenda to eliminate the Department of Education.
Anticipated to sign an executive order, Trump aims to fulfill a campaign pledge to dissolve the department, asserting during his campaign that it is occupied by “radicals, zealots, and Marxists.”
A fact sheet from the White House claims this decision will “transfer education authority to families rather than bureaucracies.” Trump and his supporters have asserted for years that the agency has not succeeded in serving American students.
“NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores indicate a national emergency — our youth are lagging behind,” Harrison Fields, the White House principal deputy press secretary, stated in a Fox News interview. “In the past four years, Democrats have permitted millions of undocumented minors to enter the country, burdening school resources and detracting attention from American students.”
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“In conjunction with the growing anti-American CRT and DEI indoctrination, this is detrimental to our most vulnerable populations,” he continued. “President Trump’s executive order aimed at broadening educational possibilities will empower parents, states, and communities to assert control and enhance results for all students.”
This initiative follows the Senate’s confirmation of Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), as the agency leader on March 3. McMahon released a memo that day expressing her support for the administration’s agenda for the department while indicating her commitment to a “new era of accountability” in its concluding days.
“The state of our education system is dire, and the American electorate has chosen President Trump to implement substantial reforms in Washington,” McMahon stated in her memo on March 3. “Our duty is to honor the American people’s will and that of the President they elected, who has entrusted us with the monumental task of expediting the abolition of bureaucratic inefficiencies within the Department of Education.”
Secretary of Education Linda McMahon appeared before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee for a confirmation hearing in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 13. (Getty Images)
After news surfaced about Trump’s intention to sign the executive order, the American Federation of Teachers issued a statement urging Congress to resist the executive order and to assure the president that the federal government will uphold its duty to all children, students, and working families, who deserve a future filled with promise and opportunity, not diminished aspirations.
The teachers’ union referenced an NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll conducted in February that indicated over 60% of Americans are “strongly opposed” to abolishing the agency.
“The Department of Education and the laws it is mandated to implement serve a singular important purpose: to equalize opportunities and fill gaps, aiding every child in America to thrive,” commented American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten in a statement on March 5. “The attempt to dismantle it — which, by the way, is within Congress’s sole authority — suggests that the president disregards equity for all children. Perhaps he is concerned only for his own children, his friends’ children, or the children of his donors — but not for every child.”
Despite expending billions on education, overall student performance remains unchanged. The White House noted that in 2023, 13 high schools in Baltimore had no students who tested proficient in mathematics, alongside financial resources allocated to promote “radical ideologies.”
Despite President Donald Trump’s directive, he requires Congressional approval to dismantle the agency. (Getty Images)
“The Trump Administration recently rescinded $226 million in grants under the Comprehensive Centers Program that imposed radical agendas on states and systems, including race-based discrimination and gender identity ideology,” the fact sheet explains.
During the Biden administration, schools have had to allocate resources to meet “ideological initiatives,” social experiments, and outdated programs, according to the White House.
Moreover, Trump has voiced his support for returning education governance to the states and reevaluating the educational framework.
“I want every parent in America to have the authority to send their child to the public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice,” he stated. “The moment for universal school choice has arrived. As we restore education to the states, I will leverage every authority I possess to provide that right to parents.”
Notwithstanding Trump’s executive order, the president requires Congress to endorse the dismantling of the agency as stipulated in Article II of the U.S. Constitution. Such legislation would necessitate 60 votes in the Senate, whereas there are only 53 Republicans at present.
Nevertheless, some momentum exists in Congress regarding the elimination of the department. For instance, Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., proposed a bill on January 31 to abolish the Department of Education by December 2026.
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Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., proposed legislation on January 31 to eliminate the Department of Education by December 2026. (Win McNamee/Getty Images)
“Unelected officials in Washington, D.C., should not govern our children’s intellectual and moral development,” Massie asserted in a statement on January 31. “States and local communities are best equipped to design curricula suited to their students’ needs. Schools should be held accountable.”
Trump informed reporters on February 4 that despite appointing McMahon to head the Department of Education, his ultimate intention was for her to no longer have a job in that capacity.
“My goal is to allow states to manage schools,” Trump explained. “I am a strong proponent of school choice. Moreover, I desire the states to oversee schools, and I want Linda to navigate her position out of existence.”
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White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt indicated that the American people can rely on Trump to fulfill his commitment to abolish the department. (Evan Vucci/The Associated Press)
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt also indicated that the public can trust Trump to advance his plans for the dissolution of the department.
“President Trump ran on that promise, and I believe the American people can expect him to deliver,” Leavitt stated during an interview on “Varney & Co.” on February 4.
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Established in 1980, the Department of Education aims to enhance the coordination of federal education initiatives and support state and local educational systems, according to its website. The agency was allocated a budget of $79.1 billion for the fiscal year 2024.
During a rally in September 2024, Trump expressed his desire to reduce the “government education swamp” and end the misuse of taxpayer funds to indoctrinate America’s youth with ideologies that many parents disapprove of.
Critics contend that the Department of Education’s performance is reflected in the “Nation’s Report Card,” the 2024 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), published on January 27. The assessment, which evaluates fourth and eighth graders, indicated nearly stagnant math scores for eighth graders compared to 2022, and reading scores decreased by 2 points at both levels.
“In report card terms, what was a D- is now an F,” former Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos asserted in a Feb. 5 op-ed for Fox News Digital.
Former Secretary of Education Betsy Devos advocated for a “complete reset” prioritizing students’ needs in education in an op-ed for Fox News Digital. (Jim Watson)
Consequently, a “complete reset” focused on prioritizing students is necessary, she emphasized. This begins with dismantling the Department of Education, which has placed greater emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion mandates over foundational educational principles, according to her.
Meanwhile, Democrats have pressured the Department of Education for further clarity on its future in February due to concerns that the Trump administration might eliminate the agency.
“We will not remain passive while this occurs to our nation’s students, parents, borrowers, educators, and communities,” lawmakers conveyed in a letter to Acting Secretary of Education Denise Carter on February 5. “Congress established the Department to guarantee that all students in America have equal access to high-quality education and that their civil rights are safeguarded regardless of their location.”
This report is sourced from the Associated Press and contributed by Fox News’ Kayla Bailey. This is a developing story; please check back for updates.
