President Trump signs executive order to abolish the Department of Education, returning control to states while facing significant legal and congressional hurdles ahead.
Key Takeaways
- President Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return educational authority to states.
- The order cannot immediately eliminate the department as congressional approval is required, but begins a transition process for dismantling it.
- Critical functions like Pell grants, Title I funding, and resources for children with disabilities will be preserved and redistributed to other federal agencies.
- The administration cited poor student achievement despite $3 trillion in spending since the department’s creation in 1979 as justification for the change.
- Democrats, teachers unions, and education advocates are expected to mount legal challenges against the executive order.
Trump Makes Bold Move to Dismantle Education Department
In a major policy shift fulfilling a long-standing Republican goal, President Donald Trump has signed an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education. The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of closing the department and returning educational authority to state and local governments. During the signing ceremony, Trump emphasized the significance of this action while addressing Secretary McMahon directly, “Linda, you’re going to be presiding over something that’s so important,” remarked Trump.
The White House justified the decision by pointing to what it describes as the department’s poor track record, claiming it has spent over $3 trillion since its creation in 1979 with minimal improvements in student achievement. The administration cited statistics showing only 33% of fourth-graders are proficient in reading and 25% in math, while U.S. students rank 25th internationally in science and 31st in math. Trump asserted that returning education control to states would improve educational quality, comparing the proposed approach to systems in countries like Denmark, Norway, and Finland.
#Liberal #Meltdown : #PresidentTrump signs #executiveorder dismantling the #DeptofEducation at the Federal level, bringing it back to the State level. The #DOE clearly hasn’t worked. Despite a 600% spending increase, #reading and #math #competency scores have been going down. pic.twitter.com/QP9wpZ8nPX
— Sn00pdad (@sn00pdad) March 20, 2025
Legal Challenges and Congressional Hurdles Ahead
Despite the executive order’s directive, the complete elimination of the Education Department faces significant obstacles. The order instructs Secretary McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.” However, congressional approval would be required for the department’s actual dissolution, presenting a major challenge even with Republican majorities.
The department has already seen significant changes under the Trump administration, with staffing reduced from 4,133 to 2,183 employees since he took office. Democrats, teachers unions, and progressive groups are expected to file lawsuits challenging the executive order, potentially slowing or halting implementation. The administration anticipates presenting a formal proposal to Congress for eliminating the department, though narrow Republican majorities may complicate passage of such legislation.
Preserving Critical Educational Functions
While pushing for the department’s elimination, Trump assured that “useful functions” would continue. The administration plans to preserve critical programs like Federal Pell grants, Title I funding for disadvantaged students, and resources for children with disabilities like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by redistributing them to other federal agencies. Current proposals include transferring student loan administration to the Treasury Department, workforce development programs to the Labor Department, and civil rights enforcement to the Justice Department.
The Department of Education currently manages $1.6 trillion in student loans and distributes billions in funding for K-12 schools across the country. With a budget of $268 billion last year, representing 4% of the total U.S. budget. Education advocates warn that dismantling it could disrupt services for millions of students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds who benefit from federal programs designed to ensure equal educational opportunities.
Sources:
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