The Trump administration is preparing to issue an executive order as early as Thursday directing newly confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the very department she now leads.
A draft of the order acknowledges that the president lacks the power to unilaterally shut down the U.S. Department of Education, as such a move requires congressional approval, including at least 60 votes in the Senate — an improbable outcome given the current Republican majority of 53 seats.
Instead, the directive instructs McMahon to “take all necessary steps” to facilitate the department’s closure “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.” McMahon and other administration officials have suggested that certain agency functions could be transferred to other government departments, though such moves face legal barriers given that federal law assigns key programs, including special education and Title I funding for low-income schools, to the Education Department.
The administration’s justification for dismantling the agency includes claims that the department has spent more than $1 trillion since its founding in 1979 without improving student achievement. However, data from The Nation’s Report Card, one of the most reliable measures of student performance, shows that while reading scores have remained largely unchanged since 1992, math achievement has improved significantly. The pandemic, however, caused a sharp decline in student achievement, and many learning gaps persist nearly five years after schools first shut down.
Federal funding accounts for about 10% of public school budgets, primarily supporting the nation’s most vulnerable students, those in low-income communities, rural areas, and those with disabilities. The department is also prohibited by law from dictating curriculum or instructional methods, contrary to the administration’s framing of its role.
McMahon, who was confirmed on Monday, wasted no time in embracing the administration’s directive, sending a message to department staff urging them to view the effort as an opportunity to perform “one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students.”
Implications for Public Education and Vulnerable Students
Efforts to dismantle the Education Department have long been a conservative priority.
Former President Ronald Reagan sought to eliminate it, and during Trump’s first term, his administration attempted to merge it with the Labor Department. However, such moves have faced strong opposition from educators, advocates, and the public. A recent poll conducted by Data for Progress on behalf of the Student Borrower Protection Center and Groundwork Collaborative found that 61% of likely voters oppose the Trump administration’s plan to abolish the department, with only 34% supporting the move.
Serenity Brooker, a sophomore elementary education major in Washington, D.C., told Hilltop News that the city’s already underfunded schools would suffer even more if federal funding were cut.
“D.C. testing scores aren’t very high right now, so cutting the Department of Education isn’t going to help that at all,” she said.
Recent data from Mayor Muriel Bowser’s office and the Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE) shows that just 22% of D.C. public school students are proficient in math, while 34% meet proficiency standards in English Language Arts.
Schools in low-income areas, which rely heavily on federal funding, already face resource shortages. A report from the Education Trust found that D.C. schools serving low-income students receive, on average, $2,200 less per student than wealthier districts.
They have no idea what it even means to dismantle the Department of Education for kids with disabilities, low-income kids and homeless kids,” one social media user wrote on X, formerly known as Twitter. “DOE manages $1.5 trillion in student loan debt for over 40 million borrowers & oversees Pell Grants.”
Targeting Special Education and Civil Rights Protections
The Department of Education administers crucial programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which serves 7.5 million students nationwide. While the administration cannot eliminate IDEA funding without congressional approval, it could attempt to shift oversight to another agency that experts warn would create chaos.
“There is no other federal agency with the expertise to oversee special education and ensure the rights of students with disabilities,” the Century Foundation reported. The transition could lead to states adopting restrictive policies that violate legal mandates requiring students with disabilities to be educated alongside their non-disabled peers.
The department also plays a critical role in enforcing civil rights laws that protect students from discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and immigration status.
The Trump administration is expected to weaken these protections, potentially shifting the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the Department of Justice, where families would be forced to navigate lengthy legal battles rather than access the current administrative enforcement system.
Higher Education and Student Loan Crisis
Eliminating the Department of Education would have far-reaching consequences for higher education, particularly for low-income students who rely on Pell Grants and federal student loans. The department administers financial aid programs that help millions afford college, manage loan repayment plans, and oversee protections against predatory institutions.
Republican officials have already challenged Biden’s student loan relief initiatives, and with the department’s oversight at risk, the likelihood of a deepening student debt crisis grows. A weakened agency would struggle to provide loan assistance, investigate fraud, and manage the complex student loan system, leaving borrowers more vulnerable to default.
“Disabled people more than ANYBODY suffer with the elimination of the Department of Education. Making Black people the face of ‘DEI’ was a distraction,” wrote social media user Gabrielle A. Perry, MPH on X. “IEP plans, funding to ensure special education programs are available AND HAVE FEDERAL OVERSIGHT so kids aren’t abused, etc.”
A Path Toward Educational Chaos
While Trump’s executive order may not immediately shutter the department, it signals an aggressive push to erode federal oversight in education, particularly for marginalized communities. Experts warn that stripping the department of its authority would exacerbate educational inequities, weaken civil rights protections, and create confusion for students, parents, and schools.
Advocates argue that policymakers should strengthen the department’s ability to support students, families, and educators nationwide instead of dismantling it. As Brooker noted, federal funding provides the materials and support needed to keep students engaged.
“With funding cuts, they don’t have the materials they need, like books or things to help with math. It makes learning less fun for them,” Booker said.
