President Donald Trump is pushing ahead with plans to abolish the Department of Education.
Trump plans to sign an executive order, fulfilling a campaign promise. He has called the department a haven for "radicals, zealots, and Marxists."
A White House fact sheet says the move will put education back in the hands of families. Trump and his supporters argue the agency has failed American students for years.
"NAEP (National Assessment of Educational Progress) scores reveal a national crisis — our children are falling behind," said Harrison Fields, the White House principal deputy press secretary. "Over the past four years, Democrats have allowed millions of illegal minors into the country, straining school resources and diverting focus from American students."
Democrat-led states are suing the administration over the decision. "Coupled with the rise of anti-American CRT and DEI indoctrination, this is harming our most vulnerable," Fields added. "President Trump's executive order to expand educational opportunities will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students."
The move comes after Linda McMahon was confirmed as head of the department on March 3. The former WWE CEO issued a memo outlining her support for the plan. She promised a "new era of accountability" in the department’s final days.
"The reality of our education system is stark, and the American people have elected President Trump to make significant changes in Washington," McMahon said in the memo. "Our job is to respect the will of the American people and the President they elected, who has tasked us with accomplishing the elimination of bureaucratic bloat here at the Department of Education — a momentous final mission — quickly and responsibly."
After news of the executive order broke, the American Federation of Teachers urged Congress to step in. The union called on lawmakers to block the move. They warned it would leave students and working families without crucial support.
A recent NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that over 60% of Americans strongly oppose eliminating the agency. "The Department of Education, and the laws it is supposed to execute, has one major purpose: to level the playing field and fill opportunity gaps to help every child in America succeed," said American Federation of Teachers President Randi Weingarten. "Trying to abolish it — which, by the way, only Congress can do — sends a message that the president doesn’t care about opportunity for all kids. Maybe he cares about it for his own kids or his friends’ kids or his donors’ kids — but not all kids."
Despite billions in funding, student performance has not improved. The White House cited statistics from 13 Baltimore high schools where no students tested proficient in math. They also pointed to federal spending on "radical ideologies."
"The Trump Administration recently canceled $226 million in grants under the Comprehensive Centers Program that forced radical agendas onto states and systems, including race-based discrimination and gender identity ideology," the fact sheet states.
Under Biden, schools have been forced to comply with costly social initiatives, the White House claims. Trump argues that education should be returned to the states.
"I want every parent in America to be empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice," he said. "The time for universal school choice has come. As we return education to the states, I will use every power I have to give parents this right."
Congress will ultimately decide if the department can be abolished. Under Article II of the Constitution, the move requires 60 Senate votes. Republicans only hold 53 seats.
Still, some in Congress support the idea. Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky., introduced a bill on Jan. 31 to eliminate the department by December 2026.
"Unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C., should not be in charge of our children’s intellectual and moral development," Massie said. "States and local communities are best positioned to shape curricula that meet the needs of their students. Schools should be accountable."
Trump has made his stance clear. Even though he nominated McMahon, he ultimately wants to eliminate her position. "What I want to do is let the states run schools," Trump said. "I believe strongly in school choice. But in addition to that, I want the states to run schools, and I want Linda to put herself out of a job."
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt says Trump is committed to the plan. "President Trump campaigned on that promise, and I think the American people can expect him to deliver on it," she told Stuart Varney on "Varney & Co." on Feb. 4.
The Department of Education was established in 1980 to coordinate federal education programs. Its 2024 budget stands at $79.1 billion.
At a rally in September 2024, Trump slammed the agency. He vowed to cut down the "government education swamp" and stop taxpayer dollars from funding indoctrination.
Critics of the department cite the latest "Nation’s Report Card." The 2024 NAEP report showed little improvement in student performance. Eighth-grade math scores remained stagnant. Reading scores dropped.
"In report card language, what was a D- is now an F," former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos wrote in a Feb. 5 op-ed for Fox News Digital.
DeVos argues the system needs a "complete reset." She says education should focus on students, not diversity mandates.
Meanwhile, Democrats are demanding answers from the Department of Education. In February, lawmakers pressed the agency for information on its future.
"We will not stand by and allow this to happen to the nation’s students, parents, borrowers, educators, and communities," Democrats wrote in a letter to Acting Secretary Denise Carter. "Congress created the Department to ensure all students in America have equal access to a high-quality education and that their civil rights are protected no matter their zip code."