On March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump took a dramatic step by signing an executive order to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education, a federal agency that has shaped education policy since its creation in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter. Standing in the White House East Room, surrounded by children at school desks and Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Trump declared, “We’re going to eliminate it.” He even turned to the kids and asked, “Should I do this?”—a theatrical touch to a controversial decision. But while Trump’s pen may have signed the order, the full shutdown isn’t a done deal. Congress holds the ultimate power to abolish the department, and that’s where the real battle begins.
What’s Happening?
Trump’s executive order directs Secretary McMahon to “greatly minimize” the Education Department, shrinking its size and scope as much as legally possible. “Hopefully she will be our last secretary of education,” Trump said, hinting at a future where the department no longer exists. The plan isn’t to wipe out every function overnight—key programs like student loans, Pell grants, Title I funding for low-income schools, and support for students with disabilities will stick around for now. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt assured reporters that these “critical functions” won’t disappear, though the department will be “much smaller.”
Still, Trump’s vision is clear: he wants education handed back to the states. “They’re going to do a phenomenal job,” he said, nodding to Republican governors like Florida’s Ron DeSantis and Iowa’s Kim Reynolds, who cheered him on at the signing. But not everyone’s clapping.
The Pushback
Democrats and education advocates are sounding the alarm. Rep. Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the House Education Committee, called the move “reckless,” warning it could harm “low-income students, students of color, students with disabilities, and rural students.” The National Education Association’s Becky Pringle went further, saying it would “hurt all students” by slashing special education, job training, and civil rights protections while making college pricier. The NAACP’s Derrick Johnson even branded it “unconstitutional,” arguing that only Congress can kill a federal agency—not a president’s pen.
Polls back up the critics. A Quinnipiac University survey from early March found 60% of voters oppose scrapping the department, with 98% of Democrats against it. Even with a Republican-led Senate, getting the 60 votes needed to beat a filibuster looks like a long shot.
Can It Actually Happen?
Here’s the catch: Trump’s executive order can shrink the department, but only Congress can bury it for good. Sen. Bill Cassidy, a Louisiana Republican, vowed to “submit legislation” to make it happen “as soon as possible.” McMahon herself admitted during her Senate confirmation that closing the department requires lawmakers’ approval. “We’d like to do this right,” she said, promising a plan Congress could back.
But “right” might not mean “easy.” The department’s already taken a hit—its workforce has been slashed nearly in half in recent weeks. And state officials aren’t exactly ready to take over. Kevin Huffman, a former Tennessee education commissioner, told NPR that states already have plenty of control over education. He worries that shifting federal programs like Title I to other agencies could create a mess, leaving states scrambling to figure out new rules.
Why Do This?
Trump and McMahon argue the department’s a bloated middleman. “It doesn’t educate anyone,” McMahon said on SiriusXM. “It doesn’t hire teachers. It doesn’t establish curriculum.” In their view, it’s just a funding machine that stifles state creativity. They want governors and local leaders to call the shots, free from Washington’s red tape.
Critics like Huffman disagree. He says the department’s role in tracking student performance and setting national goals is vital—especially now, with math and reading scores dropping. Gutting it could leave the U.S. without a game plan, risking “American competitiveness,” he warned.
What’s Next?
The executive order’s text isn’t public yet, so details are fuzzy. Legal challenges are almost certain—labor and civil rights groups are already gearing up. Meanwhile, teachers and state officials brace for what’s ahead. Will Congress greenlight the shutdown? Can states handle the load? For now, Trump’s made his move, but the chessboard’s still in play. One thing’s clear: education in America just became a political lightning rod, and the sparks are flying.
