On Thursday, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education, a significant step that aims to fulfill a controversial promise made during his presidential campaign. The agency, which is responsible for overseeing national education policy, was established in 1979 under former President Jimmy Carter, and has often been criticized by some conservatives advocating for greater state control over education.
As part of Trump’s strategy, the executive order, named “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities,” instructs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to initiate the closure of the department. According to the order, shutting down the agency would provide families an opportunity to escape what is characterized as a failing educational system. Highlighting concerns over current student performance levels, the order references data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) that indicates significant numbers of eighth-graders fall below proficiency in reading and mathematics.
The Trump administration has been making waves in the educational sector long before this recent order. Since he took office, the size of the Department of Education has decreased significantly; from a staff of 4,133, it has been reduced to approximately 2,183, as many employees accepted voluntary resignations or were placed on administrative leave. This reduction is part of a broader trend of workforce cuts across several federal agencies.
Despite these changes, NAEP reports indicate that overall student performance in the U.S. has seen little fluctuation in core subjects like reading and mathematics since 2022. In the international context, the U.S. ranks eighth out of 41 countries in terms of educational attainment, although it places 19th for student skills. Nevertheless, students in the U.S. consistently outperform the OECD average across multiple academic disciplines.
Polls suggest there is significant public resistance to disbanding the Department of Education, with 58% of respondents in a recent survey expressing opposition to the proposal. Critics argue that rather than reforming education through dramatic cuts, a more effective approach would involve enhancing the vital services that the department currently provides to American families.
Importantly, the executive order assures that federal student loans and grants will continue to be managed effectively, with an existing balance of approximately .69 trillion in outstanding loans affecting nearly 43 million borrowers. Trump has assured that these services will be preserved and redistributed to other governmental entities that will ensure their proper management.
However, the execution of this ambitious plan hinges on congressional approval, as only Congress can officially dissolve such a cabinet-level department. Some lawmakers have expressed their support for Trump’s initiative, while others caution against the potential repercussions of such sweeping changes in educational policy.
The outcome of this significant move remains uncertain as it enters the legislative sphere, where only a bipartisan consensus can make or break Trump’s proposal.
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