On Thursday, Donald Trump signed an executive order directing US education secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education. This move appears to be an attempt to sidestep the need for congressional approval in formally disbanding a federal department.
During a signing ceremony at the White House, Trump indicated that the administration might eventually seek congressional action to dissolve the agency, citing its budget having more than doubled while national test scores have stagnated.
It is important to note that the federal government does not dictate school curriculums; that responsibility lies with state and local governments, which contribute 90% of the funding for schools. Nonetheless, at the White House event, Trump reiterated his promise made during the campaign to “return education back to the states.”
The executive order aimed at the education department, anticipated for weeks, instructed McMahon to take all necessary measures to shut down key functions. Trump mentioned during the ceremony that he hopes McMahon will be the last person to hold the position of education secretary.
“My administration will take all lawful measures to dismantle the department. We intend to shut it down swiftly because it is not serving us well,” Trump stated.
McMahon appeared to respond positively as she sat in the front row at the signing event in the East Room. Trump spoke from a stage adorned with state flags, and a group of schoolchildren sat at small desks on either side of him.
This executive order follows actions taken by the administration that have already weakened the department’s authority, including a wave of layoffs that cut nearly half of its workforce and the cancellation of numerous grants and contracts.
The idea of eliminating the education department has roots in Republican initiatives from the 1980s. However, it has gained traction in recent years as pro-Trump grassroots movements have targeted agendas promoting educational standards and inclusive policies.
Trump has campaigned on the promise to shift education policy back to the states, although education has traditionally been managed by state and local authorities, with the federal government not asserting curriculum control.
A large portion of the education department’s budget consists of federal grant and loan programs, including the $18.4 billion Title I initiative supporting high-poverty K-12 schools and the $15.5 billion Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) program covering education costs for students with disabilities.
The White House clarified that these programs, along with the $1.6 trillion federal student loan program, would remain unaffected by the order. It remains unclear how much in spending reductions the administration could achieve without impacting these initiatives.
Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, has introduced a bill proposing the termination of the US Department of Education at the end of 2026. Previous attempts to pass similar legislation have failed to secure sufficient votes.
Project 2025, a rightwing manifesto from the Heritage Foundation for the Trump administration, outlines the potential disassembly of the federal education department, proposing it might be reduced to a “statistics-gathering agency that shares information with states,” according to Lindsey Burke, the education chapter author and leader of Heritage’s education policy center.
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However, even without outright eliminating the department, the incoming Trump administration, energized by a rightwing backlash against public schools amplified by the Covid-19 pandemic, could implement significant changes to the department’s budget and policies that would resonate throughout schools nationwide.
Some Republicans support the concept of providing block grants to states without earmarking them for particular programs, allowing states to decide whether to allocate funds for low-income students or students with disabilities, rather than mandating contributions for those programs. Programs that do not directly impact students, such as teacher training initiatives, could also face cuts. Additionally, expanding the use of school vouchers and implementing “parents’ rights” policies seem probable.
In late January, Trump issued executive orders aimed at promoting school choice, allowing public funds for private education, and reducing funding for schools accused of “radical indoctrination.” He also reinstated a “1776 commission” to “promote patriotic education.”
The education department claimed that within the first week of Trump’s administration, it had “dismantled” initiatives focused on diversity, equity, and education.
Shortly after Trump’s inauguration, the education department was staffed with key figures linked to the rightwing think tank, the America First Policy Institute, often described as a “White House in waiting.” This think tank supports the elimination of diversity programs and the banning of books, as documented by the Global Project Against Hate and Extremism in a report detailing the institute’s relationships with the education department. The policy institute has advocated for the inclusion of Christianity in government, including schools.
Recently, the department halted investigations into book banning and eliminated the position of book-ban coordinator, a decision announced by Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, who previously held a post at the think tank.
