Trump Seeks to Eliminate Education Department in Controversial Executive Order
President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order Thursday aimed at dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, fulfilling a long-standing campaign promise that has sparked significant controversy. Senior administration officials confirmed the impending action, signaling a dramatic shift in the federal government’s role in education policy.
The executive order, which has been under development for several weeks, will be formalized at a White House ceremony attended by Republican governors and state education commissioners. The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to initiate the closure of the Department of Education and transfer educational authority back to the individual states.
A White House summary of the order emphasizes the commitment to ensuring the "uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely." However, the order is widely expected to face legal challenges from liberal groups, setting up a potential showdown over the limits of presidential power. This comes on the heels of a federal judge blocking the Trump administration’s efforts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), highlighting the legal obstacles the administration may encounter.
Established in 1979 as a Cabinet-level agency by Congress, the Department of Education plays a significant role in overseeing federal funding programs for schools. While Trump has reduced the agency’s workforce, eliminating the department entirely would require congressional action.
White House principal deputy press secretary Harrison Fields defended the order, asserting that it "will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students." Fields cited recent test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam as evidence of a "national crisis," claiming that "our children are falling behind."
The final version of the executive order was not available at the time of reporting, but it is expected to closely resemble a draft that was previously reported by USA TODAY and other media outlets. Republican Governors Ron DeSantis of Florida, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, and Mike DeWine of Ohio are among the state leaders expected to attend the signing ceremony, signaling support for the initiative.
The order targets "regulations and paperwork" required by the Department of Education, arguing that federal guidance in the form of "Dear Colleague" letters diverts resources toward complying with ideological initiatives, drawing staff time and attention away from schools’ primary role of teaching.
Federal funding for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, Title I funding for low-income schools, and federal student loan payments are expected to remain unchanged under the order. However, McMahon is tasked with developing a plan to "bring these funds closer to states, localities, and more importantly, students," according to a White House official.
The White House summary also indicates that education programs or activities receiving "any remaining Department of Education funds" will be prohibited from advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion or gender ideology, reflecting a conservative stance on these issues.
Republicans have long criticized the federal government for exerting too much influence over local and state education policy, despite the federal government’s limited control over school curriculum. Trump has expressed his desire for McMahon to eventually make herself "out of a job," underscoring his commitment to shrinking the federal government’s role in education. The order follows the issuance of termination notices to more than 1,300 Education Department employees as part of broader workforce reductions across the federal government, spearheaded by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency. These cuts, combined with voluntary buyouts, have reduced the department’s workforce from 4,133 to 2,183 since the beginning of Trump’s second term.
Trump has consistently criticized the performance of U.S. public schools compared with schools in other countries, stating that the U.S. is "ranked at the very bottom of the list" but "at the top of the list in one thing: the cost per pupil." Ironically, Trump and other Republicans have often relied on data from the Education Department’s research arm to support their criticisms, even as the administration has reduced the staff of this branch.
The executive order argues that despite the Department of Education spending $1 trillion in federal education dollars over 46 years, U.S. education has not improved. It highlights that math and reading scores for 13-year-old students have dropped to their lowest level in decades, and that low-performing students have "fallen further behind." Trump has advocated for giving states complete authority over schools, frequently citing Iowa and Indiana as high-performing states that "should run their own education."
Trump’s order represents another instance of his expansive interpretation of executive authority. He has previously bypassed Congress to shut down offices of USAID and dismantle operations of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
Eliminating the Department of Education through legislation would require support from Democrats in Congress, making such an effort highly unlikely. It is also uncertain whether moderate Republicans in the Senate would support a proposal to shift the agency’s offices elsewhere within the federal government.
The Education Department has already been affected by employee suspensions, resignations, and policy shifts, creating instability within the agency.
During her Senate confirmation hearing, McMahon emphasized that congressionally appropriated funding for schools and students would not be affected by the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Education Department, a message that was met with skepticism by Democrats and some Republicans. McMahon also pledged to protect a student loan forgiveness plan for public servants, which was approved by Congress in 2007. However, Trump later signed an executive order aimed at limiting the eligibility of borrowers for that same program.
Adding to the controversy, a teachers union recently filed a lawsuit against the Trump administration for "effectively breaking the student loan system." The executive order is a bold move by the Trump administration that will reshape the future of education in the United States.
