United States President, Donald Trump, has signed an executive order to dismantle the Department of Education, marking a key step towards fulfilling a campaign promise and a long-standing goal for many conservatives.
Accusing the department of “breath-taking failures,” Trump pledged to return control of education funding to individual states. “We’re going to shut it down as quickly as possible,” Trump said, although the White House admitted that closing the department entirely would require congressional approval.
Legal challenges are already emerging from opponents of the move, following sweeping staff cuts announced last week.
According to the BBC, during a signing ceremony held at the White House on Thursday, where children were seated at school desks, Trump criticised education spending and performance.
“The US spends more money on education by far than any other country,” he said, while pointing out that students still rank near the bottom globally.
The White House stated that parts of the department would be cut within the limits of existing laws. The executive order, like many other Trump administration efforts to reduce federal government size, is expected to face legal hurdles.
At the event, Trump praised Linda McMahon, his appointee to head the department, expressing hope that she would be the final secretary of education. He added that he would find “something else” for her to do within his administration.
Shortly after the order was signed, Republican Senator Bill Cassidy from Louisiana announced plans to introduce legislation aimed at shutting down the department. However, with Republicans holding a slim 53-47 majority in the Senate, achieving the 60 votes needed to close a federal agency remains unlikely.
Even if the department is not formally abolished, the administration could slash its funding and workforce, as it previously did with the US Agency for International Development (USAID), which was forced to halt numerous programmes and humanitarian operations.
The text of the executive order does not outline specific steps or detail which programmes may be eliminated. It instructed McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure” and to transfer authority to state and local governments. It also mandated that she ensure “the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”
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Founded in 1979, the Department of Education manages student loans and oversees programmes that support low-income students. However, Trump has accused it of indoctrinating youth with racial, sexual, and political content.
Most American children attend public schools managed by local authorities, not the federal government. While the Department of Education does not set curriculum or operate schools, it plays a significant role in funding and overseeing federal student loans.
Only about 13% of primary and secondary education funding comes from federal sources, with the majority provided through state and local taxes.
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