Trump Signs Order to Dismantle Education Department \ Newslooks \ Washington DC \ Mary Sidiqi \ Evening Edition \ President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to begin dismantling the Department of Education. The order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to shift authority to states and local communities. Closing the department fully would require Congressional approval and faces legal and logistical challenges.
Trump Orders Education Department Closure Plans Quick Looks
- Trump signs executive order to dismantle the Education Department.
- Education Secretary Linda McMahon instructed to facilitate closure steps.
- Congressional action would be required for full department elimination.
- Staff cuts and program overhauls already underway under Trump’s administration.
- Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency slashed “woke” programs and contracts.
- The department manages $1.5 trillion in student loan debt for 40 million borrowers.
- Trump opposes Biden’s student loan forgiveness efforts, calling them illegal.
- Civil rights enforcement may shift focus under Trump’s vision.
- Trump plans to remove protections for transgender students under Title IX.
- College accreditation oversight could change to support “American tradition.”
- Federal funding for low-income and special needs programs may be restructured.
- Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 outlines redirecting education oversight to HHS.
Deep Look
Fulfilling a key campaign promise, President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, marking a monumental shift in federal education policy that Republicans have advocated for decades. While the full elimination of the department would require Congressional approval and face significant legal and logistical hurdles, Trump’s directive signals the administration’s aggressive push toward decentralizing education authority.
The executive order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities” to the maximum extent allowed by law. Although Trump’s plan is ambitious, the complexities of shuttering an agency that handles billions in federal education funding, student loans, and regulatory oversight make it a challenging undertaking.
In recent weeks, the Trump administration has already taken sweeping actions to weaken the department’s functions. Staffing has been cut in half, and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has dismantled numerous contracts deemed “woke” and unnecessary. One major target has been the Institute of Education Sciences, which plays a vital role in tracking academic progress across the nation.
The Department of Education’s primary functions include disbursing billions of dollars annually to colleges, universities, and K-12 schools and managing a $1.5 trillion federal student loan portfolio for over 40 million borrowers. The department also oversees critical regulatory services for students with disabilities, low-income families, and homeless children. Any plan to close the department would require redistributing these responsibilities across other federal agencies or delegating them to state governments.
Trump’s broader education agenda emphasizes slashing federal funding for institutions that promote “critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content.” His plan includes rewarding states and schools that eliminate teacher tenure and embrace universal school choice programs. While federal money makes up roughly 14% of public school budgets, colleges rely heavily on federal grants and financial aid to support both research and student tuition.
Student Loans and Financial Aid
Under Biden, the Department of Education made historic efforts toward student loan forgiveness, with more than $175 billion forgiven for 4.8 million borrowers through adjustments to existing programs like Public Service Loan Forgiveness. However, Trump has sharply criticized these initiatives, calling them illegal and “a total catastrophe.” Though he has not released a detailed student debt plan, Trump has indicated opposition to large-scale cancellation, arguing it unfairly shifts the burden onto taxpayers.
Civil Rights Enforcement
The department’s Office for Civil Rights has historically investigated discrimination based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. Under Trump, the office’s focus would shift. His administration has prioritized antisemitism-related complaints and launched investigations into colleges and athletic leagues that allow transgender athletes to compete in women’s sports. Trump’s campaign platform calls for pursuing civil rights cases against schools for “discriminating on the basis of race” and removing diversity-focused policies, which he describes as unlawful discrimination.
Trump also aims to exclude transgender students from Title IX protections, reversing efforts by the Biden administration, which had interpreted Title IX to cover gender identity and sexual orientation. A federal judge has already overturned those Biden-era protections, but Trump’s plans would permanently roll back such measures, impacting school policies on pronouns, bathrooms, and locker room access.
College Accreditation Overhaul
While the Education Department does not directly accredit colleges, it oversees accrediting agencies. Trump has previously promised to overhaul this system, vowing to dismiss “radical left accreditors” and approve agencies that promote conservative values and reject what he calls “Marxist” diversity policies. Changing accreditation policies would impact which institutions remain eligible for federal financial aid.
Funding for Schools
Key federal programs like Title I (supporting low-income schools) and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) would face restructuring or potential elimination. Trump has signaled his intent to transfer these responsibilities to the states, though he has provided few specifics on how they would manage these critical services.
The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 offers a possible roadmap for Trump’s vision. The plan suggests moving oversight of education funding for disadvantaged and disabled students to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), then eventually converting these funds into block grants with fewer federal strings attached.
Challenges Ahead
The dismantling of the Department of Education remains a complex legal battle. While the executive order initiates administrative moves, Congress would need to pass legislation to formally dissolve the agency. Additionally, lawsuits are expected from states, civil rights groups, and education advocates who argue that eliminating the department would harm millions of students and destabilize America’s education system.
As Trump pushes forward with his education overhaul, debates over federal versus state control of education, student protections, and funding equity will dominate political discussions heading into the next election cycle. The outcome could fundamentally reshape the nation’s education landscape for generations to come.
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