Trump Administration Moves to Restructure the Department of Education, Sparks Legal Challenges
President Donald Trump has initiated a controversial plan to significantly alter the structure and scope of the U.S. Department of Education, setting the stage for a major political and legal battle. Through an executive order signed on Thursday, the Trump administration seeks to drastically reduce the department’s size and influence, raising questions about the future of federal involvement in education policy.
The executive order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the states. While the White House insists that the department will continue to operate in some form, officials acknowledge that it will be a much smaller agency with a more limited role.
This initiative comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to cut federal programs and dismantle agencies, often disregarding laws set by Congress. However, these attempts have faced legal challenges, suggesting that the administration’s plans for the Department of Education may also encounter resistance in the courts.
The head of a leading teachers union has already vowed to sue the Trump administration over the action, signaling the intense opposition that the plan is likely to face. Critics argue that the move would undermine federal support for public schools and harm students, particularly those from low-income backgrounds.
Key Provisions of the Executive Order
The executive order calls for the "uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely." This suggests that key federal programs for schools, such as Title I, which provides funding to schools serving high-poverty populations, and programs for students with disabilities, will continue to be administered by the department. Pell Grants and student loans, which help students pay for college, will also remain under the department’s purview.
Despite these assurances, the White House has made it clear that it intends to reduce federal spending on public education by cutting "wasteful spending." The administration has not yet specified what it considers to be waste, raising concerns among education advocates.
The executive order also prohibits the use of any remaining Department of Education funds to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives or "gender ideology." This provision reflects the Trump administration’s opposition to policies that promote racial diversity and self-assessed gender identity, rather than two binary sexes.
Impact on Department Employees
The Trump administration has already taken steps to reduce the size of the Department of Education’s workforce. More than 1,300 employees received termination notices last week as part of large-scale reductions in force across the federal government. Since the start of Trump’s second term, the department’s workforce has been trimmed from 4,133 to 2,183 employees.
Despite these dramatic downsizing, the agency continues to oversee vital federal funding programs for schools.
Reactions to the Executive Order
Republicans have long accused the federal government of holding too much power over local and state education policy. Trump has stated that he hopes McMahon eventually puts herself "out of a job." He has also criticized the performance of U.S. public schools compared with schools in other countries, citing high costs per pupil as a concern.
However, critics point out that Trump and other Republicans often rely on data from the Education Department’s research arm to support their arguments. The administration has reduced this branch to a skeleton staff, raising questions about tracking school progress in the future.
Trump has discussed giving states complete authority to oversee schools, citing Iowa and Indiana as examples of strongly performing states that "should run their own education." However, it is not clear what Trump means by such an arrangement, as local school districts and states already control their school curriculum. The federal government provides limited oversight for schools that receive federal funding to ensure students are being kept safe and treated equally.
Congressional Democrats have blasted the president for making what they call a blatantly illegal move. Senator Patty Murray, a Washington Democrat and a top funding appropriator, said that Trump was taking a "wrecking ball" to the agency, despite knowing he cannot abolish the Department of Education without Congress.
Advocates for student loan borrowers have also issued similar critiques. The president of the National Student Legal Defense Network said that there is no Executive Order the President can sign to legally eliminate the Department of Education.
Legal and Political Challenges Ahead
Passing legislation in Congress to eliminate the Department of Education would require support from Democrats, making such an effort highly unlikely. It is also unclear whether moderate Republicans in the U.S. Senate would be on board with a GOP proposal to shift the agency’s offices elsewhere within the federal government.
The Trump administration’s plan to restructure the Department of Education is likely to face significant legal and political challenges. The courts may intervene to block the administration from taking actions that exceed its authority. Congress may also resist efforts to dismantle the department or reduce its funding.
The future of the Department of Education remains uncertain, but it is clear that the Trump administration’s efforts to reshape the agency will have a significant impact on the nation’s education system.
