President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order today directed the dismantling of the Department of Education, aiming to shift educational control back to the states. The draft order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to commence the department’s closure “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.”
This move aligns with a longstanding conservative objective to reduce federal involvement in education, reflecting Trump’s campaign promise to eliminate federal control over education. However, fully abolishing the department would require congressional approval, necessitating a filibuster-proof, 60-vote majority in the Senate due to legal constraints on significant programs it manages.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
McMahon, during her confirmation hearing, said Trump wasn’t intending to cut federal programs but to make them more efficient. She said Congress would need to go along with scrapping the department.
The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a conservative blueprint for a GOP administration, has laid out a detailed road map for closing the agency, which included placing the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights in the Justice Department and the student-loan portfolio in the Treasury Department. It calls for phasing out a longstanding funding stream for schools based on how many low-income students they serve.
The Trump administration has already taken a series of steps to weaken the agency. It laid off probationary employees and offered others buyouts. It paused some of its civil-rights enforcement work and canceled many grants and contracts related to research and teacher quality.
The administration has also used the agency’s civil-rights arm to attempt to root out antisemitism on university campuses, accommodations for transgender students, and diversity, equity and inclusion programs.
Critics argue that dismantling the department could undermine key programs with bipartisan support, such as financial aid for higher education and special education services. The National Education Association (NEA), representing 2.8 million American teachers, warns that stripping the department of its resources and mission would be catastrophic for millions of students in low-income communities who need educational services and support.
Thursday’s executive order follows through on Trump’s campaign promise to begin dismantling the agency, which he has criticized as being full of “zealots and Marxists.” (RELATED: Madison’s Tragedy: How Policies Failed Our Schools Again)
Fox News continues:
A White House fact sheet states that the move will “turn over education to families instead of bureaucracies. Trump and proponents of eliminating the department have long said the agency has failed American students.
“NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores reveal a national crisis — our children are falling behind,” Harrison Fields, the White House principal deputy press secretary, told Fox News. “Over the past four years, Democrats have allowed millions of illegal minors into the country, straining school resources and diverting focus from American students.”
“Coupled with the rise of anti-American CRT and DEI indoctrination, this is harming our most vulnerable,” he added. “President Trump’s executive order to expand educational opportunities will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students.”
Moms for Liberty co-founder Tiffany Justice recently joined Fox & Friends to discuss the long-anticipated plans, as the Nation’s Report Card—the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—reveals U.S. children are falling further behind in reading skills post-COVID school closures and showing little improvement in math.
While Trump’s executive order can initiate the process, the complete dissolution of the Department of Education hinges on Congress.
In theory, Congress could dismantle the Department of Education (DOE) through a mix of legislative and budgetary actions, starting with repealing the Department of Education Organization Act of 1979. This would involve redistributing or eliminating DOE responsibilities, shifting education functions to states, local governments or other federal agencies—for example, moving special education enforcement (IDEA) to Health and Human Services (HHS) or leaving it to the states.
While education isn’t explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, the Supreme Court could intervene if dismantling the DOE is seen as violating federal commitments to civil rights, equal access or education funding. (RELATED: Supreme Court Chief Justice Issues Extraordinary Response To Trump)
Despite its popularity among conservatives, abolishing the DOE would face fierce opposition from Democrats, teachers’ unions and millions of skeptical Americans.
Bottom line: Dismantling the DOE would require a Republican-controlled Congress and White House, along with aggressive legislative action and a clear strategy to overcome legal and political resistance.
Should the Department of Education be abolished? Some say it’s the best way to return power to states and parents, while others argue it would undermine federal education standards. What do you think? Drop your thoughts in the comments below! ⬇️
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
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Get rid of the department of ed