President Donald Trump has confirmed plans to sign an executive order to dissolve the Department of Education, delegating education control to individual states according to NBC News.
The initiative was first disclosed by USA Today, with the official signing scheduled for Thursday. The White House confirmed that the event hosted by Trump will take place at 4 pm ET and was announced on X by press secretary Karoline Leavitt.
Trump’s directive explicitly instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to initiate the department's shutdown while ensuring that essential services continue uninterrupted.
Despite the order not having immediate legislative power to abolish the department, the Trump administration has outlined measures to restrict its operations effectively.
McMahon, a pivotal figure in the administration, has already begun downsizing, including reducing the department's workforce by half in preparation for its potential closure.
McMahon, acknowledging the President's directive, emphasized the need for Congressional collaboration saying, "That was the president’s mandate. His directive to me is to shut down the Department of Education, which we know we’ll have to work with Congress, you know, to get that accomplished."
Her appointment by the Senate by a narrow margin of 51-45 highlighted political polarities, given no Democratic senators supported her nomination.
Since its establishment in 1979 by President Jimmy Carter, the Department of Education has been fundamental in managing federal funds and enforcing civil rights within educational institutions. Trump, however, argues for a minimized federal footprint in education, promoting his vision where states handle the educational mandate.
Last week, Trump extended his educational reform policies by excluding agency funding from supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, as well as stopping what he describes as gender ideology programs. These moves align with broader criticisms from Republican circles about the federal government's involvement in local education systems.
The announcement of the executive order was met with stout opposition, with 21 Democratic attorneys general filing a lawsuit challenging the President's authority to disband the department. Senator Patty Murray voiced strong concerns, stating, "This issue is personal for me, and for every single family. We cannot relent in this fight."
The National Education Association, represented by President Becky Pringle, criticized the potential implications of the department's closure.
Pringle detailed adverse outcomes such as increased class sizes, reduced job training programs, more costly higher education, diminished services for students with disabilities, and a rollback of student civil rights protections.
Keri Rodrigues, reflecting on the broader implications, lamented the historical failures in serving marginalized communities and warned that dismantling the department could worsen these disparities.
"Eliminating it would roll back decades of progress, leaving countless children behind in an education system that has historically failed the most marginalized," Rodrigues stated.
Amidst polarized responses, Trump maintains a confident stance, believing in the renegotiation of Congressional support for his plan.
He reinforced his commitment at a campaign event, declaring, "Your state is going to control your children’s education. We’re moving it out of Washington immediately... We’re going to do that very fast, and it’s going to be great."
The drive to close the Department, a cornerstone of Trump's broader educational strategy, echoes his long-standing mission to shift control from federal to state levels, aiming to enhance local decision-making in school affairs and reduce bureaucratic oversight in Washington.
As the Thursday event approaches, both supporters and critics continue to voice their standpoints, marking a significant moment in Trump's presidency that could redefine the role of the federal government in education.
With educational policy and civil rights impacts at stake, this decision continues to stir a national debate on the future direction of American education.