Trump Signs Order to Dismantle US Department of Education

US President Donald Trump signed an executive order to shut down the federal education department. The president smiled at the school children sitting on desks set up in the East Room of the White House as he waved the signed order at them.

The order instructs the education secretary to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities, to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.”

However, it does not provide details on how this process will work.

In order to shut the education department completely, an approval from congress will be required. The department was created in 1976 with an aim to strengthen the federal commitment to ensuring access to equal educational opportunities for all students.

This decision might affect funding of some low-income schools, as per the democrats. The White House has assured that some core functions of the department will remain. Trump stated that his administration would keep only the “core necessities” of the department, such as funding for low-income schools (Title I), Pell Grants for college students, and support for children with disabilities.

There is no clarification over the management of federal student loans. Although the department was initially set to continue managing these loans, the executive order claims that it lacks the staff to handle its “$1.6 trillion loan portfolio”. The responsibility for managing student loans is expected to be transferred to an entity better equipped for the task.

“It’s doing us no good”

At the signing ceremony, US President Trump criticised the Education Department for its performance, claiming, “It’s doing us no good.” While conservative groups such as the Heritage Foundation applaud the decision, critics warn that dismantling the department could leave vulnerable students without essential support. NAACP President Derrick Johnson described it as “a dark day for the millions of American children who depend on federal funding for a quality education.”

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has promised to reduce bureaucracy and give states more control over local schools. She also mentioned plans to move some responsibilities—like civil rights enforcement—to other agencies. “The Department of Justice already has a civil rights office,” she said, hinting at possible changes in how the department’s duties will be reassigned.