Established in 1979, the Department of Education manages student loan programs, administers education grants, and enforces civil rights laws in schools. The department also acts as a central resource for educational research, helping schools learn from each other’s successes and adopt better teaching methods.
On March 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order marking a significant step in dismantling the nationwide Department of Education (DOE), a power that lies with Congress, not the president. This move, along with plans to lay off over 1,300 Department of Education employees, signals a shift that could have permanent consequences for how America treats its public education system. The executive order aims to shut down several department functions and redirect many educational responsibilities to individual states. The stakes are especially high for the 80% of Americans who attend public schools. The DOE’s funding also helps balance economic disparities between high-need and affluent districts, demonstrating that the elimination of this department could put more impoverished school districts in jeopardy.
While the Trump administration claims this executive order is about “returning authority to the states,” many argue that the order is, in fact, doing the opposite. By banning equity programs, the administration is intentionally restricting what schools can and cannot teach. The DOE has never had the authority to set curriculum, yet these new restrictions attempt to dictate what can be discussed in teacher training programs and school board meetings. These actions also align with a broader agenda favoring school privatization over public education. The current administration appears to be paving the way for more taxpayer dollars to flow to private institutions, despite concerning evidence about their effectiveness.
Aside from the Department of Education, the Trump administration also implemented other government cuts affecting educational institutions. On April 21, Harvard University announced that it plans to sue the Trump Administration due to research funding cuts. This decision has sparked a national debate about the increasing overreach of government on educational institutions; as of May 1, the lawsuit is in progress. The DOE also aims to defund English as a Second Language (ESL) programs across the country, potentially jeopardizing the future of language education.
“Academic language learning is the key to unlocking our ability to expand our cultural ideas and broaden our perspective in becoming global citizens,” said Catherine Kellenberger, a language teacher at Haverford, on the importance of the continuance of language education in public schools.
In conclusion, the executive decisions targeting the Department of Education are potentially creating a system where quality education becomes more dependent on zip code and wealth. As these unprecedented changes unfold, we must recognize what’s really at stake: the promise of a strong and robust education for every child.
