President Donald Trump is pushing forward with his plans to dismantle the Department of Education, a promise he made during his campaign. Reports indicate that Trump will sign an executive order to initiate the process, although fully dissolving the agency requires congressional approval.
According to a White House fact sheet, this move is intended to shift control of education from federal oversight to parents and local communities. Throughout his campaign, Trump has criticized the department, labeling it as being filled with “radicals, zealots, and Marxists.” Supporters of the decision argue that the department has failed American students, pointing to declining National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores.
Harrison Fields, the White House principal deputy press secretary, explained the rationale behind this decision, stating, “NAEP scores reveal a national crisis — our children are falling behind. Over the past four years, Democrats have allowed millions of illegal minors into the country, straining school resources and diverting focus from American students. Coupled with the rise of anti-American CRT and DEI indoctrination, this is harming our most vulnerable.” He emphasized that Trump’s executive action seeks to empower states, parents, and local communities to improve educational outcomes.
This decision comes shortly after Linda McMahon, former WWE CEO, was confirmed by the Senate as the head of the Department of Education on March 3. In a memo issued the same day, McMahon expressed her commitment to the Trump administration’s vision for the department, stating, “The reality of our education system is stark, and the American people have elected President Trump to make significant changes in Washington. Our job is to respect the will of the American people and the President they elected, who has tasked us with accomplishing the elimination of bureaucratic bloat here at the Department of Education — a momentous final mission — quickly and responsibly.”
However, the plan has met strong opposition. The American Federation of Teachers urged Congress to reject the executive order and reaffirm the federal government’s role in ensuring educational opportunities for all students. Their statement referenced a recent NPR/PBS News/Marist Poll, which found that over 60% of Americans strongly oppose dismantling the department.
Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, issued a statement on March 5, warning against the consequences of abolishing the agency. “The Department of Education, and the laws it is supposed to execute, has one major purpose: to level the playing field and fill opportunity gaps to help every child in America succeed. Trying to abolish it — which, by the way, only Congress can do — sends a message that the president doesn’t care about opportunity for all kids. Maybe he cares about it for his own kids or his friends’ kids or his donors’ kids — but not all kids.”
The White House defended the move by citing specific cases of educational decline, including a report that none of the students in 13 Baltimore high schools tested proficient in math in 2023. Officials also pointed to the Trump administration’s recent cancellation of $226 million in grants under the Comprehensive Centers Program, which the White House claimed promoted radical ideologies, race-based discrimination, and gender identity policies.
The administration argues that under President Joe Biden, schools have been forced to allocate resources toward “ideological initiatives,” outdated programs, and social experiments. Trump has long advocated for returning educational oversight to the states and providing parents with more school choices.
“I want every parent in America to be empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice,” Trump stated. “The time for universal school choice has come. As we return education to the states, I will use every power I have to give parents this right.”
Even if Trump’s executive order sets the wheels in motion, eliminating the Department of Education requires congressional approval. Under Article II of the U.S. Constitution, Congress must vote to dissolve a federal agency. With only 53 Republican senators, passing such a measure would require bipartisan support to reach the 60-vote threshold.
Some lawmakers have already taken steps toward this goal. On January 31, Representative Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) introduced legislation to eliminate the department by December 2026. “Unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., should not be in charge of our children’s intellectual and moral development,” Massie stated. “States and local communities are best positioned to shape curricula that meet the needs of their students. Schools should be accountable.”
Trump has been vocal about his ultimate goal of returning educational authority to state governments. On February 4, he told reporters that while he had nominated McMahon to lead the agency, he expected her to eventually be out of a job. “What I want to do is let the states run schools,” he said. “I believe strongly in school choice. But in addition to that, I want the states to run schools, and I want Linda to put herself out of a job.”
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt reinforced the administration’s commitment to this plan, telling Fox Business host Stuart Varney, “President Trump campaigned on that promise, and I think the American people can expect him to deliver on it.”
Established in 1980, the Department of Education was created to streamline federal education programs and support local school systems. Its budget for the 2024 fiscal year was $79.1 billion. Trump has repeatedly criticized what he calls “government education swamp” spending, arguing that taxpayer dollars have been wasted on indoctrination instead of fundamental learning.
The debate over the department’s future has intensified in recent months, particularly in light of the 2024 NAEP results, which show continued stagnation in student achievement. The latest report, released on January 27, indicated that eighth-grade math scores remain largely unchanged since 2022, while reading scores declined by two points across both tested grade levels.
Former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos weighed in on the findings, arguing that the U.S. education system requires a “complete reset.” In a February 5 op-ed for Fox News Digital, she wrote, “In report card language, what was a D- is now an F.” She asserted that shutting down the Department of Education is the first step toward refocusing on student success instead of political agendas.
Concerned lawmakers have pressed for clarity on the agency’s future. In a February 5 letter to Acting Secretary of Education Denise Carter, congressional Democrats voiced their opposition to the proposed closure. “We will not stand by and allow this to happen to the nation’s students, parents, borrowers, educators, and communities,” they wrote. “Congress created the Department to ensure all students in America have equal access to a high-quality education and that their civil rights are protected no matter their zip code.”
With Trump moving ahead on his efforts to dismantle the department, the issue is set to become a major political battle in Congress, with both supporters and opponents preparing for a heated debate over the future of federal education policy.
