Implications of Shutting Down the Education Department

Implications of Shutting Down the Education Department

The Department of Education, a critical player in the American education system, has undergone significant changes under the Trump administration. Following a Supreme Court decision in August 2025, the department has experienced a roughly 50% reduction, leading to a weaker federal role in education [1][2].

One of the most notable impacts of this downsizing is the transfer of some federal responsibilities and funding mechanisms to states. For instance, funds for students with disabilities may shift to the Department of Health and Human Services [2]. However, this shift has generated mixed reactions, with some welcoming reduced federal involvement, while others fear it could cause disruption and worsen equity and civil rights enforcement issues [2].

Despite these changes, several federal education programmes remain unaffected. Head Start and the Child Care Development Block Grant, two of the most well-known and biggest federal early childhood programmes, are not part of the Education Department and would not be directly affected by an Education Department shutdown [3]. Similarly, Title I, a program established in 1965 that provides money to schools with large numbers of low-income students, is part of federal law and would not be affected by the elimination of the Education Department [3].

Charter schools, another significant part of the American education landscape, could continue serving students even if the Education Department were shuttered. The decision to create or close a charter school rests with states and school districts [3].

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), an important yardstick for measuring academic achievement among fourth and eighth graders, receives one-fourth of the Institute of Education Sciences' $800 million a year budget. However, the Institute of Education Sciences, the research and statistics arm of the Education Department, is mandated by law and would not disappear even if the agency were abolished [3].

Student debt won't disappear even if the Education Department does, as the federal agency contracts with the loan servicers that manage nearly $2 trillion in student loan debt and oversees the programs that can lead to loans being forgiven [3]. Similarly, federal law providing money for students in rural places, with disabilities, or who come from low-income families would not be undone [3].

However, the elimination of the Education Department could lead to less rigorous enforcement and a backlog of cases in the Office for Civil Rights, which investigates complaints against school districts, universities, and other education institutions to ensure they are not discriminating against students and others based on race/ethnicity, disability, sex, age, or national origin [3]. The work of the Office for Civil Rights could potentially shift to the Department of Justice if the Education Department were to close [3].

The Department of Education commands more than $200 billion, and changes to the agency have led to concerns about possible effects on children, communities, parents, students, teachers, policy experts, and politicians [1][5]. The school lunch program, run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is unlikely to be affected [3].

In summary, the Department of Education under the Trump administration has significantly reduced its size and scope, implementing major policy shifts while facing ongoing systemic challenges in K-12 education quality and staffing stability. The federal disengagement from some responsibilities has generated debate about the future effectiveness of American education governance [1][2][3].

References:

[1] Goldstein, A. (2025). Trump administration's education department downsizing sparks debate. The Washington Post.

[2] Kang, M. (2025). Trump's Education Department cuts spur fear and hope for schools. The New York Times.

[3] Johnson, J. (2025). Education Department under Trump: A timeline of cuts and reforms. Education Week.

[4] U.S. Department of Education. (n.d.). About the Office of Civil Rights. Retrieved from https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/index.html

[5] National Education Association. (2025). Teacher shortages. Retrieved from https://www.nea.org/tools/38925.htm

1. The decrease in the Department of Education's size and influence under the Trump administration has resulted in a transfer of some federal responsibilities to state-level bodies.
2. The shift in funding mechanisms raises concerns about the potential disruption and worsening of equity and civil rights enforcement issues in community schools.
3. Notably, federal programs like Head Start, Child Care Development Block Grant, and Title I, which support early childhood education and schools with large low-income student populations, remain largely unaffected by the changes.
4. Charter schools, an essential part of the American education landscape, are subject to state and school district decisions, rendering their existence relatively unaffected by potential Education Department closures.
5. While the abolition of the Education Department wouldn't eliminate student debt or affect programs designed to help students from low-income families, rural areas, or with disabilities, it may lead to less rigorous enforcement and a backlog of cases in the Office for Civil Rights.
6. Concerns about the future effectiveness of American education governance are prevalent as a result of the ongoing policy shifts and systemic challenges in K-12 education quality and staffing stability under the Trump administration's Education Department.

Read also: