Anticipated Executive Order from Trump's Education Department, Potentially Fulfilling Campaign Pledge, Sparks Concern among Students and Guardians
Trump's Education Department Takedown: Breaking Down the Potential Fallout
President Donald Trump's plan to start dismantling the US Department of Education, set to be signed on Thursday, marks a significant move for conservatives targeting the agency for decades. Yet, this ambitious undertaking raises fresh considerations for America's public schools, student loan borrowers, and parents.
Unlike previous presidents, Trump's attempt to abolish a Cabinet-level agency hasn't been tried before. Completely shutting down the department would require an act of Congress, given that the agency was established in 1979. The White House acknowledges they do not have the necessary votes to dissolve the department in this manner.
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt stated ahead of Thursday's signing ceremony that the order aims to "greatly minimize the agency." Critical functions, including student loan management, will remain under the department's purview.
The order is expected to instruct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take "all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the states." The ceremony is anticipated to include Republican governors, state education officials, and school children, stressing the significance of the move for Trump and like-minded conservatives.
Decades-long efforts to undermine the agency and give more school control to individual states have gained traction in recent years. This push can be attributed to frustration with certain policies and school curriculums amidst coronavirus-induced school closures and a growing parents' rights movement resisting measures addressing LGBT rights and promoting diversity.
Almost all public school funding comes from states and localities, while the Education Department is in charge of administering federal funding for students with disabilities and funding for low-income schools. Although the White House confirmed the department will continue to oversee federal Pell Grants and student loans during the transition, critics argue that it is unclear what form administration will take and whether gaps in oversight may appear.
"When it comes to student loans and Pell Grants, those will still be run out of the Department of Education, but we don't need to be spending more than $3 trillion over the course of a few decades on a department that's clearly failing in its initial intention to educate our students," Leavitt said.
Trump has advocated relocating some of the agency's responsibilities to other federal departments. However, the Education Department has faced trouble finding a viable alternative agency to manage its enormous student debt portfolio, which amounts to a staggering $1.8 trillion in debt with an estimated 40% of loans past due.
Given the controversial nature of the executive order, it's likely to face legal challenges, with unions representing teachers strongly opposing the move before Trump's event.
Insights:
- The executive order aims to move education responsibilities from the federal government to state governments.
- Uncertainty remains regarding the form of administration for student loan and Pell Grant programs during the transition.
- If successfully implemented, critics argue that the order could result in increased class sizes, reduced job training programs, and decreased special education services for students with disabilities.
Half of the Education Department's employees have already been put on notice they could lose their jobs. Rollbacks of programs designed to promote diversity and offer protection for transgender students have also been evident.
In light of the upcoming order, terminated employees were informed to collect their personal items from the office. Concerned and confused employees offered insights like, "This EO underscores that Linda McMahon, Donald Trump, and the rest of this administration remain ignorant about what our agency actually does and how their efforts to dismantle it will negatively affect kids and families throughout the country."
Initially promised on the campaign trail, Trump stated during his presidency, "I told Linda (McMahon), 'Linda, I hope you do a great job in putting yourself out of a job.' I want her to put herself out of a job - Education Department."
CNN's Kayla Tausche contributed to this report.
- The hope of Trump and his conservative associates, as suggested by press secretary Karoline Leavitt, is to dissolve the Department of Education and shift education responsibilities to state governments through the signing of an executive order.
- While the Education Department will continue to oversee federal Pell Grants and student loans during the transition, there remains uncertainty about the form the administration of these programs will take, leading to potential gaps in oversight.
- Shutting down the Department of Education, as planned in the executive order, might negatively impact various sectors, including students with disabilities, as it could lead to increased class sizes, reduced job training programs, and decreased special education services.
