Introduction to the Dismantling of the Education Department

President Donald Trump signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the U.S. Education Department, advancing a campaign promise to take apart an agency that’s been a longtime target of conservatives. Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. Republicans said they will introduce legislation to achieve that, while Democrats have quickly lined up to oppose the idea.

Background and Rationale

The order says the education secretary will, “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities." It offers no detail on how that work will be carried out or where it will be targeted, though the White House said the agency will retain certain critical functions. Trump said his administration will close the department beyond its "core necessities," preserving its responsibilities for Title I funding for low-income schools, Pell grants and money for children with disabilities.

Impact on Education Funding and Policy

The White House said earlier Thursday that the department will continue to manage federal student loans, but the order appears to say the opposite. It says the Education Department doesn’t have the staff to oversee its $1.6 trillion loan portfolio and “must return bank functions to an entity equipped to serve America’s students.” At a signing ceremony, Trump blamed the department for America’s lagging academic performance and said states will do a better job. “It’s doing us no good," he said. Already, Trump’s Republican administration has been gutting the agency. Its workforce is being slashed in half, and there have been deep cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institute of Education Sciences, which gathers data on the nation’s academic progress.

Reactions from Education Officials and Advocates

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said she will remove red tape and empower states to decide what’s best for their schools. But she promised to continue essential services and work with states and Congress "to ensure a lawful and orderly transition.” Part of her job will be exploring which agencies can take on the Education Department’s various roles, she said. “The Department of Justice already has a civil rights office, and I think that there is an opportunity to discuss with Attorney General Bondi about locating some of our civil rights work there,” McMahon told reporters after the signing. The measure was celebrated by groups that have long called for an end to the department. "For decades, it has funneled billions of taxpayer dollars into a failing system — one that prioritizes leftist indoctrination over academic excellence, all while student achievement stagnates and America falls further behind," said Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation.

Concerns and Criticisms

Advocates for public schools said eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal. “This is a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education, including those in poor and rural communities with parents who voted for Trump,” NAACP President Derrick Johnson said. Opponents are already gearing up for legal challenges, including Democracy Forward, a public interest litigation group. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., called the order a “tyrannical power grab” and “one of the most destructive and devastating steps Donald Trump has ever taken.” Margaret Spellings, who served as education secretary under Republican President George W. Bush, questioned whether whether the department will be able to accomplish its remaining missions, and whether it will ultimately improve schools.

Current State of the Education Department

Currently, much of the agency’s work revolves around managing money — both its extensive student loan portfolio and a range of aid programs for colleges and school districts, like school meals and support for homeless students. The agency also is key in overseeing civil rights enforcement. The Trump administration has not formally spelled out which department functions could be handed off to other departments or eliminated altogether. It hasn’t addressed the fate of other department operations, like its support for technical education and adult learning, grants for rural schools and after-school programs, and a federal work-study program that provides employment to students with financial need.

Potential Impact on States and Local Communities

States and districts already control local schools, including curriculum, but some conservatives have pushed to cut strings attached to federal money and provide it to states as “block grants” to be used at their discretion. Block granting has raised questions about vital funding sources including Title I, the largest source of federal money to America’s K-12 schools. Families of children with disabilities have despaired over what could come of the federal department’s work protecting their rights. Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets — roughly 14%. The money often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, such as the McKinney-Vento program for homeless students or Title I for low-income schools.

Conclusion

The dismantling of the Education Department is a complex issue with significant implications for the education system in the United States. While the Trump administration argues that it will improve education by returning authority to the states and local communities, critics argue that it will leave vulnerable students behind and undermine the progress made in civil rights enforcement. As the situation continues to unfold, it is essential to consider the potential consequences of such a move and ensure that the needs of all students are prioritized.

FAQs

• Q: What is the main goal of the executive order signed by President Trump?
  A: The main goal is to dismantle the U.S. Education Department and return authority over education to the states and local communities.
• Q: What functions will the Education Department retain according to the order?
  A: The department will retain certain critical functions, including managing Title I funding for low-income schools, Pell grants, and money for children with disabilities.
• Q: How have advocates for public schools responded to the plan?
  A: Advocates have expressed concerns that eliminating the department would leave children behind in an American education system that is fundamentally unequal.
• Q: What is the potential impact on federal funding for schools?
  A: Federal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets, but it often supports supplemental programs for vulnerable students, and its reduction or elimination could have significant consequences.
• Q: What are the next steps in the process of dismantling the Education Department?
  A: The process involves exploring which agencies can take on the Education Department’s various roles and working with states and Congress to ensure a lawful and orderly transition.