Trump Signs Order Targeting Education Department Closure \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order Thursday to shut down the U.S. Department of Education, fulfilling a key campaign promise. The administration aims to return education control to the states, though actual closure requires congressional approval. Critics warn the move threatens funding for vulnerable students and civil rights enforcement.
Trump Moves to Shut Down Education Department — Quick Looks
- President Trump plans executive order calling for Education Department closure.
- The order directs Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling steps.
- Full closure would require congressional approval, unlikely in current climate.
- The department, created in 1979, manages $1.6 trillion in student loans.
- Federal education funds represent 14% of public school budgets.
- Vulnerable student programs like Title I and McKinney-Vento could face disruption.
- Workforce reductions and cuts to civil rights offices already underway.
- Trump criticizes the department as “wasteful” and filled with liberal ideology.
- Parents’ groups and conservatives support state-level education control.
- The National Parents Union vows to fight department closure plans.
Deep Look
President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order Thursday directing the shutdown of the U.S. Department of Education, according to a senior White House official who spoke on condition of anonymity. The move pushes forward one of Trump’s longstanding campaign promises and a goal that has been championed by conservatives for decades.
Though the executive order signals intent, permanently dissolving the department would require an act of Congress — a challenging prospect given bipartisan resistance. The Department of Education, established in 1979, plays a critical role in distributing billions of dollars annually in federal funding to schools and colleges, managing a $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio, and overseeing civil rights protections in educational settings.
A White House fact sheet accompanying the planned order states that Secretary of Education Linda McMahon will be tasked with “taking all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the states.” The document adds that the administration intends to ensure the “effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”
However, the Trump administration has already begun hollowing out the agency. Its workforce has been reduced by half, and major cuts have been made to key areas, including the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences — which provides critical data on U.S. educational progress.
Trump has repeatedly characterized the Department of Education as a bloated, inefficient bureaucracy tainted by “radical leftist ideology.” His campaign platform pledged to shut down the department and “send education authority back to the states, where it belongs.” He has referred to the department as a hub of “radicals, zealots, and Marxists” who overregulate and interfere with local decision-making.
Despite this rhetoric, the White House has not clarified which agency functions might be transferred elsewhere or eliminated entirely. At her confirmation hearing, Secretary McMahon attempted to reassure lawmakers by pledging to preserve critical programs such as Title I funding for low-income schools and Pell Grants for underprivileged college students.
Public education advocates have expressed alarm. The National Parents Union released a strongly worded statement: “This isn’t fixing education. It’s making sure millions of children never get a fair shot. And we’re not about to let that happen without a fight.”
While federal funding makes up about 14% of public school budgets, that money is often crucial for supplemental services. Programs like McKinney-Vento for homeless students and Title I for low-income schools rely on federal dollars to ensure vulnerable children aren’t left behind.
Higher education institutions would also feel the impact. Colleges and universities depend heavily on federal funding through research grants and financial aid programs that make college affordable for millions of students.
Republican calls to eliminate the Department of Education are not new. The idea has circulated for decades among conservatives who argue that education decisions should be made by states and local communities. However, the movement has gained renewed momentum, bolstered by conservative parent groups demanding greater control over school curricula and policies on issues like gender identity, race, and diversity.
At the same time, Trump has leveraged the Department of Education for his own political agenda. He has used the investigative powers of the Office for Civil Rights and the threat of federal funding cuts to target schools that run afoul of his directives on transgender athletes, pro-Palestinian activism, and diversity initiatives.
Even some of Trump’s staunchest allies have expressed skepticism about whether he can shutter the department without congressional action. In 2023, the House considered an amendment to close the agency but it failed, with 60 Republicans joining Democrats in opposing the measure.
During his first term, then-Education Secretary Betsy DeVos proposed dramatic budget reductions and recommended consolidating K-12 funding into state-controlled block grants. Congress rejected the proposal amid concerns from both parties that doing so would undermine essential services for vulnerable student populations.
Trump’s latest push comes as part of a broader effort to scale back federal oversight in education and give states wide-ranging authority. But critics warn this could exacerbate disparities between wealthy and low-income states, leaving millions of students in underserved communities with fewer resources and protections.
As the executive order is signed, the debate over the future of federal involvement in education is certain to intensify. Legal experts predict the administration will face significant challenges in executing the plan, especially without congressional backing.
Public school advocates, education organizations, and civil rights groups are expected to launch immediate legal and political challenges. The National Education Association and American Federation of Teachers have both vowed to resist any attempt to dismantle the federal role in public education.
As the situation develops, one thing remains clear: the question of federal versus state control in education has once again become a fierce battleground, with students, teachers, and families caught in the crossfire.
Trump Signs Order Targeting Trump Signs Order Targeting
You must Register or Login to post a comment.