President Trump announced his intention to significantly reduce the role of the U.S. Department of Education during a press briefing in the Oval Office on Tuesday. He conveyed to Secretary-Designate Linda McMahon his desire for her to "put yourself out of a job," emphasizing his belief that education should be managed at the state level rather than federally. Trump stated, "I believe strongly in school choice, but in addition to that, I want the states to run schools."
While Trump has not yet taken formal steps, such as issuing an executive order to eliminate the Department of Education, he indicated that he prefers to work through Congress to achieve his goals. He acknowledged the need to collaborate with teachers’ unions, which he identified as a significant opponent to his plans. "I think I’d work with Congress… We’d have to work with the teachers union because the teachers union is the only one that is opposed to it," Trump remarked.
McMahon, a former professional wrestling executive and advocate for small businesses, is awaiting confirmation for her role. The potential dismantling of the Department of Education has raised concerns regarding the future of federal education funding and oversight. The department oversees critical functions, including federal financial aid, grants for disadvantaged students, and civil rights protections, impacting more than 50 million students across 130,000 public and private schools.
Critics of Trump’s plan warn that eliminating the department could lead to chaos, particularly concerning the management of federal funding that supports vulnerable student populations. California, for example, relies heavily on federal assistance, receiving over $2.1 billion in Title I grants aimed at alleviating poverty in education. Additionally, federal Pell grants are vital for over 200,000 low-income students in the California State University system.
Despite the push from Trump and many conservatives to reduce federal involvement in education, the complexities of dismantling the department are significant. Legal questions arise about the president’s authority to abolish a department created by Congress and the implications for federal funding. The current Republican majority in Congress is narrow, and past attempts to cut the Department of Education’s powers have faced bipartisan opposition.
In recent votes, a significant number of Republicans, including several from California, opposed measures that would limit the department’s authority, indicating a lack of consensus within the party on this issue. Education policy experts, such as Michael Petrilli from the Thomas B. Fordham Institute, suggest that the idea of closing the department remains largely hypothetical, given the political realities and potential backlash from constituents.
Opponents of Trump’s education policy have vowed to resist any executive actions that would lead to the department’s dissolution. National Education Association President Becky Pringle criticized the plan, stating it would undermine resources for vulnerable students and erode civil rights protections in education.
As the education community awaits more definitive plans from the Trump administration, leaders express concern over the potential impacts of such sweeping changes. Pedro Noguera, dean of the USC Rossier School of Education, noted the uncertainty surrounding the administration’s strategy and the implications for educational continuity and support services.