Donald Trump’s executive order on Thursday did not shut down the U.S. Department of Education. It didn’t dismantle it, defund it, or launch it into space—though some conservatives might have hoped for that. Instead, the order should be viewed as a directive to Education Secretary Linda McMahon to continue what she has already been doing: reducing bureaucracy, eliminating ineffective programs, and developing a plan to eventually work with Congress to formally dissolve the department.
This executive action has been widely misinterpreted, particularly in media headlines and on social platforms. However, a closer look reveals that Trump’s order is more of a strategic step rather than an immediate dismantling of the department. Here’s what’s really going on.
What Does the Department of Education Actually Do?
Many Americans—on both sides of the aisle—have been led to believe that the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) is responsible for the education of American children. In reality, it doesn’t teach a single student, operate a single school, or establish a national curriculum.
Instead, the department functions primarily as:
A grant-distribution agency, allocating federal funds to state education systems.
A student-loan bank, managing and regulating federal loans.
A bureaucratic regulator, creating policies that often add red tape for educators and local administrators.
Around 85% of K–12 education funding comes from state and local governments. The federal role is supplementary, primarily sending money to schools in low-income areas, funding special-education programs, and enforcing certain civil rights protections.
The DOE, however, has also become a tool for federal overreach, imposing nationwide mandates that many educators, parents, and state leaders find burdensome. Trump’s executive order is a recognition of this overreach and an attempt to redirect education policy back to the states.
Where Would Its Functions Go?
The argument for eliminating the DOE isn’t about eliminating federal support where it’s needed; it’s about reallocating its useful functions to other, more appropriate federal agencies.
Office for Civil Rights → Move to the Department of Justice, which already has the legal authority to investigate and prosecute civil rights violations.
Federal Student Loans → Transfer to the Department of the Treasury (or consider privatizing student lending entirely).
Special-Education Funding → Redirect to the Department of Health and Human Services, where similar programs were housed before 1979.
Title I Funding for Low-Income Schools → Block-grant funds directly to the states, giving them flexibility to allocate funds as they see fit. Alternatively, direct this funding to parents through school choice initiatives.
The idea is not to eliminate every federal education program overnight but to decentralize control, allowing states and local communities to make decisions without unnecessary interference from Washington.
Why Is Congressional Action Necessary?
Even if Trump wanted to shut down the Department of Education with a stroke of a pen, he couldn’t—at least, not entirely. The department and its funding mechanisms are deeply embedded in federal law. Congress would need to pass legislation to formally dissolve it and reallocate its functions.
This means Republicans in Congress must take the lead, working not only within their party but also seeking allies among moderate Democrats to make substantial reforms.
The Bigger Picture: Education Without a Federal DOE
The United States won the space race, became a global superpower, and built a world-class industrial economy without a Department of Education. For most of American history, education was successfully managed at the state and local levels—without Washington bureaucrats imposing national mandates.
The DOE, as Ronald Reagan warned in the 1980s, has become an entrenched bureaucracy captured by teachers’ unions and special interest groups, making it harder for states, school districts, and parents to run their own schools effectively. Under President Biden, this overreach became particularly clear, as education policy was used to push ideological agendas, from gender policies in schools to federal overreach in student loans.
Trump’s executive order is a step toward reversing that trend, putting more control back in the hands of parents, teachers, and local leaders—where it belongs.
The Path Forward
While Trump’s executive order does not immediately shutter the Department of Education, it signals a clear policy direction: reduce federal interference, return control to states, and prepare for an eventual full legislative repeal of the department.
Despite opposition from national teachers’ unions and certain political groups, the reality is that education works best when decisions are made locally. The American people—through their state legislatures and school boards—are more than capable of running their own schools without Washington dictating the rules.
