President Donald Trump has signed an executive order that aims to shut down the Department of Education, a bold fulfillment of a campaign promise and a lightning rod for legal, political, and social debate.
Calling the agency’s track record “breath-taking failures,” Trump insisted that education decisions belong solely to the states.
“We’re going to shut it down as quickly as possible,” he declared, even while acknowledging that an act of Congress is required for a full closure.
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The order tasks Education Secretary Linda McMahon with taking “all necessary steps to facilitate the closure” of the department, which has existed in its current form since 1979. Established during President Jimmy Carter’s administration, it was immediately targeted by conservatives who argued that educational authority rests best with states and local school boards. In the decades since, calls to abolish the department have resurfaced periodically, with Republican lawmakers citing federal overreach and inefficiency.
Despite these challenges, the department has played a prominent role in administering student loans, enforcing civil rights in schools, and supporting low-income students—responsibilities that now hang in the balance.
“America spends more money on education by far than any other country,” Trump said at a recent White House event while surrounded by students, “yet we continue to rank near the bottom in achievement.”
The executive order itself is short on details about how remaining programs—such as those supporting students with disabilities or federal student loans—would operate. Moreover, Trump’s public statements imply that parts of the department’s infrastructure might be absorbed by other agencies, though no concrete plan has emerged.
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Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy has pledged to introduce a bill that would formally shutter the department. But even with a Republican majority in the Senate, reaching the 60 votes necessary to overhaul or abolish a federal agency remains improbable.
That has not stopped the administration from pursuing sweeping staff cuts, however. The Department of Government Efficiency, helmed by Elon Musk, has spearheaded layoffs across multiple agencies. As a result, the Education Department has already dropped from around 4,400 workers to just over half that number.
McMahon, in a memo titled “Our Department’s Final Mission,” urged remaining staff to view this period as “one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students.”
Critics from both parties have been quick to point out that most public-school funding and curriculum decisions are already set by local and state authorities, not by the federal government. The Education Department’s share in school budgets hovers around 13%, with the bulk of resources coming from state and municipal taxes.
Teacher advocacy groups, including the American Federation of Teachers, have decried what they see as an attempt to use a “war on woke” as political cover for gutting programs that aid children with disabilities and students from low-income families.
“No-one likes bureaucracy,” the federation wrote in a statement, “but don’t use it as a pretext to attack the children living in poverty and the children with disabilities.”
Information for this briefing was found via BBC, USA Today, and the sources mentioned. The author has no securities or affiliations related to this organization. Not a recommendation to buy or sell. Always do additional research and consult a professional before purchasing a security. The author holds no licenses.
