Former U.S. President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order on Thursday to eliminate the Department of Education, fulfilling a major campaign promise, according to USA Today. The move is expected to shift education authority back to the states, a long-standing Republican priority.
Trump will sign the order at a White House ceremony, attended by Republican governors and state education commissioners. The executive order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the department’s shutdown, ensuring that education oversight is returned to state and local governments.
A White House summary of the order emphasizes the need for uninterrupted delivery of educational services, ensuring that programs and benefits remain in place even as the federal agency is dismantled.
While Trump’s order signals his intent to eliminate the agency, the Department of Education cannot be abolished immediately without Congressional approval. The move is expected to face legal and political challenges, similar to Trump’s previous attempts to shut down the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), which was blocked by a federal judge in Maryland.
Despite these hurdles, Trump has already taken steps to reduce the department’s workforce, issuing termination notices to over 1,300 employees last week. Since returning to office, his administration has cut the agency’s workforce nearly in half, from 4,133 to 2,183 employees.
The White House argues that the move will empower parents, states, and local communities, improving student outcomes. White House Deputy Press Secretary Harrison Fields pointed to declining test scores on the National Assessment of Educational Progress exam, calling it a “national crisis.”
While the executive order seeks to dismantle federal education oversight, it maintains funding for key programs, including:
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funding for students with disabilities.
- Title I funding for low-income schools.
- Federal student loan payments.
However, the order prohibits any remaining federal education funds from being used for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives or gender ideology programs in schools.
Several Republican governors, including Ron DeSantis (Florida), Glenn Youngkin (Virginia), Greg Abbott (Texas), and Mike DeWine (Ohio), are expected to attend the signing ceremony. Republican lawmakers have long criticized the Department of Education, arguing that the federal governmen has too much influence over state and local school policies.
While Trump has praised states like Iowa and Indiana for their education models, critics argue that the federal government already has limited control over school curricula, with local school districts and states setting education policies.
Trump’s executive order is part of a broader effort to reduce federal oversight, following his actions to shut down USAID offices and weaken the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The move to dismantle the Department of Education will likely face legal challenges and Congressional pushback, setting up another high-stakes battle over executive authority in Washington.