Introduction to Education Reform
When it comes to education, the United States under President Donald Trump increasingly looks a lot like Florida under Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Supreme Court is poised to allow parents to opt their children out of school lessons they oppose on religious grounds; in Florida, parents already have some opt-out rights. The Trump administration has moved to withhold funding from schools and colleges with diversity practices it opposes, while pushing a “patriotic” curriculum. DeSantis got there first.
The Trump Administration’s Education Agenda
The Trump administration has taken several steps to reshape the education system in the United States. Texas Republicans have created a gargantuan new private-school choice program, while Republican leaders in Congress have advanced a bill to allow federal dollars to pay for private-school tuition and home-schooling. Florida has more children using vouchers than any other state in the nation. Trump easily vanquished DeSantis in last year’s Republican primary, often belittling him along the way. But it is DeSantis who pioneered the education agenda Trump and so many other conservatives have taken up with zeal.
DeSantis’ Leadership on Education
Trump invited DeSantis to attend his signing ceremony in March for an executive order seeking to shutter the Department of Education. It was, perhaps, an indication of a détente between the men, and an acknowledgment of DeSantis’ leadership on education. In a written statement, Harrison Fields, a spokesperson for Trump, said, “Many states, including Florida, are leading in this area, and they now have a partner in the Oval Office who prioritizes parents’ fundamental role in choosing what’s best for their children.” A spokesperson for DeSantis said the governor was not available for an interview.
The "War on Woke"
DeSantis allies are also often fiercely loyal to Trump. So it can be awkward for them to speak openly about the inspiration the proud president appears to have taken from a former rival. Some point out that it was Trump who began the so-called “war on woke” in 2020, with an executive order targeting liberal ideas about race. “President Trump really opened up the culture war at the end of his first term,” said Christopher Rufo, a close ally of both men who shaped many of the ideas and strategies of the right-wing movement to eradicate diversity programs. “There’s a continuity.” But that 2020 executive order focused on employee trainings, not schools. It was DeSantis who zeroed in on education, tapping into rising parent anger during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Education Reform in Florida
DeSantis required Florida schools to offer in-person learning and swore to root out liberal ideas on race and gender from classrooms, signing a spate of laws and elevating these issues in the presidential campaign. “Far be it for President Trump to be so foolish as to ignore a good idea,” said Tiffany Justice, a founder of Moms for Liberty, the right-wing parental-rights group that was key in shaping DeSantis’ agenda in Florida. But a comparison of the DeSantis and the Trump records also illustrates why, in many cases, it is easier to remake education from a state capitol than from Washington.
Higher Education
In higher education, Trump has tried a number of aggressive moves to push universities like Harvard and Columbia to eliminate diversity programs and put some left-leaning academic departments under outside oversight. But American law provides few avenues for a president to control a college. Columbia has acquiesced to some federal demands. Harvard, on the other hand, is suing. In Florida, by contrast, DeSantis targeted a small public liberal arts school, the New College of Florida, and was able to remake it in fairly short order. He appointed trustees who shut down diversity programs, abolished the gender studies department and recruited student-athletes. Some faculty fled.
Local Control of Education
Richard Corcoran, a close ally of DeSantis, became president of New College after serving as state education commissioner, where he had carried out the governor’s priorities in K-12 schools. He noted that while previous Florida governors, like Jeb Bush, had also focused on education reform, DeSantis took conservative ideas about schools and colleges into “another whole stratosphere.” The institutions DeSantis has focused on are public, easing his path. But Corcoran also noted that education policy is often locally driven. “The local and state level is where liberal policy is passed and promulgated more than any other level,” he said, adding that he thought Trump still had an important role to play. “The president and Department of Education should use the power of the purse to clean that up.”
Federal Funding and Control
That is easier said than done. In K-12 education, the federal government provides less than 10% of the funding. Existing laws and statutes explicitly prevent federal agencies from dictating curriculum or teaching strategies. States provide 90% of the funding for public schools, set learning standards and regulate the teaching profession. DeSantis used those levers to make rapid change, which Florida educators, students and parents immediately felt. In 2023, he signed a law making Education Savings Accounts available to every Florida student regardless of family income. Taxpayer dollars can now fund private school tuition, for-profit virtual learning and home-schooling.
Restrictions on Curriculum
At the same time, DeSantis and his allies in the state Legislature restricted how race, gender, sexuality and American history could be talked about in public schools. Lessons on white privilege were banned, as were discussions of LGBTQ+ identities in the early grades. Teachers of all subjects were offered $3,000 bonuses to attend trainings in a required new civics curriculum, which emphasized constitutional originalism and the Christian beliefs of the Founding Fathers. Educators could be fired for affirming a student’s transgender identity. Even allies of Trump who praise his agenda acknowledge the barriers he faces. He is trying to reshape an education system that, in the United States, is designed to be locally controlled.
The Role of the Supreme Court
There is still potential for significant action at the national level, however, just not in the executive branch. The Supreme Court, with its conservative majority, is considering or may soon take up a number of cases that could push elements of DeSantis’ agenda into more left-leaning states. Last month, the court heard arguments in a case brought by Maryland parents, who wanted to opt their young children out of classroom readings of books with LGBTQ+ themes, which they said violated their religious values. A lawyer for the parents, Eric S. Baxter, acknowledged that they were trying to set a precedent that would apply to parents who had religious objections to any school content, including in the upper grades.
Conclusion
In conclusion, DeSantis’ education agenda has paved the way for Trump’s America. The Trump administration has taken several steps to reshape the education system in the United States, with a focus on promoting conservative values and restricting diversity programs. However, the federal government’s ability to control education is limited, and states like Florida have more flexibility to implement their own reforms. The Supreme Court may play a significant role in shaping the future of education in the United States, with several cases pending that could have a major impact on the education system.
FAQs
Q: What is the main difference between DeSantis’ and Trump’s education agendas?
A: While both DeSantis and Trump have focused on promoting conservative values in education, DeSantis has been able to implement his agenda more effectively at the state level, whereas Trump has faced more resistance at the federal level.
Q: How has the Supreme Court been involved in education reform?
A: The Supreme Court has heard several cases related to education reform, including a case brought by Maryland parents who wanted to opt their children out of classroom readings of books with LGBTQ+ themes.
Q: What is the role of federal funding in education?
A: The federal government provides less than 10% of the funding for public schools, with states providing the remaining 90%. This limits the federal government’s ability to control education policy.
Q: How have teachers and educators responded to DeSantis’ education agenda?
A: Teachers and educators in Florida have expressed concerns about the restrictions on curriculum and the emphasis on conservative values. Some have also spoken out against the bonuses offered to teachers who attend trainings in the new civics curriculum.
Q: What is the potential impact of the Supreme Court’s decisions on education reform?
A: The Supreme Court’s decisions could have a significant impact on education reform, potentially paving the way for more conservative education policies to be implemented at the state and federal levels.
Originally Published: May 20, 2025 at 1:58 PM EDT
