Key Insights into Trump's Actions to Dismantle the Department of Education:
Trump Takes Aim at Education Department
Tired of the Federal government interfering with education, President Trump decided to make a move on Thursday by signing an executive order to start dismantling the Department of Education. This blatant power shift aims to give more authority to states to manage their education systems.
While eliminating the department altogether requires approval from Congress, the department has already announced that nearly half its staff will be leaving through layoffs and voluntary buyouts. The exact impact remains unclear, but legal challenges are likely to arise.
One significant issue is the potential effect on students with disabilities, low-income schools, and rural areas. With the Department of Education providing tens of billions of dollars in funding every year, there are concerns about how well these programs will be managed if the department is severely reduced.
K-12 education policy expert Weade James of the Center for American Progress expressed concerns about ensuring that states and districts use the federal funds effectively to achieve positive outcomes for students. Functions like accommodations for disabled students and aid for schools for the deaf and blind in the US could be threatened if they are shifted to the Department of Health and Human Services, which may lack the necessary knowledge about these programs.
Another area of concern is the management of the massive student loan portfolio, currently at $1.8 trillion in debt. The Department of Education has struggled to find alternative agencies to manage the portfolio, and it's uncertain who will take over this crucial task, raising questions about loan servicing and compliance.
It should be noted that the Department of Education does not have direct control over curriculum or local school systems; instead, responsibility lies with states and localities. So while some argue that students will benefit from a more localized education system, others warn that cutting the department may harm the ability of children to learn, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
The Office for Civil Rights, which works to protect students from discrimination, may also face challenges with the department's stated plan to nearly halve its workforce. This change could lead to a significant backlog of cases and leave students without the necessary support.
- Karoline, as a K-12 education policy expert, might advocate for mandated oversight in 2025 to ensure states effectively use federal funds for education, particularly focusing on students with disabilities, low-income schools, and rural areas.
- The potential buyouts and layoffs within the Department of Education necessitate Karoline's involvement in 2025, as she might be instrumental in ensuring functions like accommodations for disabled students and aid for schools for the deaf and blind are not dismantled, should they be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services.
- In the wake of the announced staff reduction and potential shifts in responsibilities, Karoline could be tasked with overseeing the management of the student loan portfolio in 2025, ensuring the new agency handling this massive debt maintains effective loan servicing and compliance to avoid further financial burdens on students.
