In a bold move on Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order to initiate the dismantling of the Department of Education, aiming to transfer educational control back to individual states.
“Beyond the core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department,” Trump declared during a speech at the White House. “We’re going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible.”
Trump criticized the Department of Education as “doing us no good,” pointing to low proficiency levels in reading and math among students in elementary, middle, and high schools across the nation. He emphasized that essential functions like Pell Grants, Title I funding, and resources for children with disabilities and special needs would be “fully preserved” and redistributed to other agencies.
Pell Grants provide financial aid to low-income undergraduate students, while Title I grants support schools with high percentages of students from low-income families, aiming to improve educational opportunities for disadvantaged students.
Not everyone is on board with the president’s decision. In a joint statement, Representative Grace Meng, Chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus, and Representative Mark Takano, Chair of the Education Task Force, expressed strong opposition.
“The Trump administration is denying the next generation the resources they need to succeed in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. It is a betrayal to students, parents, and educators,” they stated. “This is an unlawful decision, and Congress must not cede its authority in the face of this order.”
A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in February showed that 65 percent of respondents opposed closing the Department of Education, with only 30 percent in favor. The nationwide survey included 4,145 U.S. adults and had a margin of error of about 2 percentage points.
The process of dismantling a federal agency typically requires Congressional approval through legislation. It’s unclear how the president plans to proceed with this executive order without legislative backing.
Trump has consistently criticized the Department of Education, arguing that significant federal investment has not translated into improved educational outcomes. He has accused the department of being staffed by “radicals, zealots, and Marxists,” alleging that they’ve expanded their power through excessive regulation.
Earlier reports indicated that the department had already undergone substantial layoffs, reducing its workforce by nearly 50 percent from its original 4,000 employees. Trump stated that this “reduction in force” has been successful. “We’ve cut the number of bureaucrats in half, 50 percent,” he said.
The move to dismantle the Department of Education marks a significant shift in U.S. educational policy, raising questions about the future of federal involvement in schools and the impact on students nationwide.
