Former U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order aimed at significantly reducing the influence of the Department of Education. While the measure does not entail a complete shutdown of the agency, as clarified by the White House press secretary, several of its key functions will be delegated to state governments.
According to Fox News, this executive order fulfills one of Trump’s recurring campaign promises to limit federal government involvement in education. A White House fact sheet states that the initiative aims to “return education to families instead of bureaucracies.”
Legislative Hurdles and Alternatives
Completely shutting down the Department of Education would require congressional approval, as stipulated in Article II of the U.S. Constitution. This process would require at least 60 votes in the Senate, where Republicans currently hold 53 seats.
However, Representative Thomas Massie, a Republican from Kentucky, has suggested using the budget reconciliation process, which requires only 51 votes, to advance the measure. Massie, who has led legislative efforts to reduce reliance on the Department of Education, introduced a proposal on January 31 to eliminate the agency entirely by December 2026.
Meanwhile, Senator Bill Cassidy, a Republican from Louisiana, expressed his support for Trump’s objectives, arguing that the Department of Education has failed in its mission. Cassidy announced plans to introduce legislation to accelerate the agency’s closure, according to Fox News.
Reactions and Opposition
Trump’s measures have faced criticism from various sectors. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, warned that reducing the Department of Education could negatively impact students by increasing class sizes, cutting workforce training programs, and eliminating special education services for students with disabilities.
Pringle also noted that the initiative could make higher education more expensive, making it inaccessible for many middle-class families.
In response, Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, announced that the union would challenge the executive order in court. “See you in court,” Weingarten declared, according to Fox News. Additionally, the federation urged Congress in early March to oppose any attempt to dismantle the Department of Education, citing an NPR/PBS News/Marist poll showing that more than 60% of Americans oppose eliminating the agency.
Staff Reductions and Next Steps
Alongside the executive order, the Department of Education has already begun implementing measures to downsize. According to Fox News, on March 11, plans were announced to cut the agency’s workforce in half, which currently consists of over 4,000 employees.
With these actions, Trump’s administration moves forward in its goal to shift control of education to the states, amid an intense debate over the federal government’s role in the nation’s education system.
