Why Trump may be planning to shut down the US Dept of Education

Why does Trump want to shut down the department? What exactly does the US DoE do? Is Trump empowered to order its closure? We explain in three points:

1. 01

   Why does Trump want to shut down the department?

   Similar to many other aspects of Trump’s policies, the move stems from his opposition to progressive or liberal ideologies. A January 29 executive order (“Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling”) said, “In recent years… parents have witnessed schools indoctrinate their children in radical, anti-American ideologies while deliberately blocking parental oversight.”

   Schools have been the battleground for larger political divides in the US in recent years. The inclusion of topics such as LGBTQ+ identities and critical race theory (which examines American history through the lens of racism, and acknowledges that systemic racism is part of the country’s society) in curriculum has been debated.

   Many conservative states have also banned certain books on race and gender in schools. Even global best-selling titles, such as The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and Looking for Alaska by John Green, have been removed for having sexual content, among other reasons. Democrats and progressive unions have decried such bans and challenged them in courts.

2. 02

   What would it take to shut down the Department of Education?

   Although Trump has liberally used presidential executive orders to further his policies, shutting down the DoE will involve a more complex process. At her confirmation hearing, McMahon said, “We’d like to make sure that we are presenting a plan that I think our senators could get on board with, and our Congress could get on board with, that would have a better functioning Department of Education,” adding that closing the department “certainly does require congressional action.”

   The Associated Press also reported that some of the department’s most significant programs are required by federal legislation, including funding for low-income schools and federal student loans. As a result, closure would require approval from the Congress.

   It would also need to pass the US Senate, which has 100 seats for two representatives from each of the 50 US states. In total, 60 votes would be needed for the measure to succeed. Currently, Republicans hold 53 seats.

3. 03

   What is the US Department of Education?

   As the department’s official website notes, the subject of education is primarily a state and local responsibility in the United States. “The Federal contribution to elementary and secondary education is about 8 percent, which includes funds not only from the Department of Education (ED) but also from other Federal agencies,” it says.

   Despite the small share, the department “works hard to get a big bang for its taxpayer-provided bucks by targeting its funds where they can do the most good.” It seeks to fill the gaps in state and local support for education.

   In 1980, Congress established the Department of Education as a Cabinet-level agency. Today, its elementary and secondary programs annually serve nearly 18,200 school districts and over 50 million students attending roughly 98,000 public schools and 32,000 private schools. Its programs also provide grant, loan, and work-study assistance to more than 12 million postsecondary students.

The path for closing the department may be difficult, but the Trump administration is still taking steps to curtail its size and reach. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), headed by Elon Musk, has cut $900 million in contracts for an office that tracks progress of students in schools across America.

Earlier this week, DOGE also fired at least 39 employees in a one-year probation period, AP reported citing a union that represents agency workers.