President Donald Trump is poised to sign an executive order Thursday directing U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the Department of Education, in a move aimed at returning control over education to the states and fulfilling a key campaign promise.
Trump plans to sign the order at a White House ceremony attended by Republican governors including Ron DeSantis of Florida, Greg Abbott of Texas, Mike DeWine of Ohio, and Glenn Youngkin of Virginia. The directive calls on McMahon "to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States," according to a White House fact sheet reviewed by USA Today.
While the order lays out the administration's intent, it does not immediately eliminate the department. As a Cabinet-level agency created by Congress in 1979, the department's full dismantling would require congressional approval, an uphill battle likely to face resistance, particularly from Senate Democrats.
The Trump administration, however, has already moved to significantly reduce the department's footprint. Administration figures show the Education Department employed 4,133 staff members at the start of Trump's second term. Roughly 600 employees have since resigned or retired, and more than 1,300 workers received termination notices last week as part of a large-scale reduction-in-force initiative. The workforce now stands at 2,183 employees-nearly half its size from just weeks ago.
"The order will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students," said Harrison Fields, White House principal deputy press secretary. He cited recent National Assessment of Educational Progress results as evidence of systemic failure: "These scores reveal a national crisis-our children are falling behind."
Trump, who has often criticized the state of U.S. public education, reiterated his concerns last month. "We're ranked at the very bottom of the list, but we're at the top of the list in one thing: the cost per pupil," he said.
The White House fact sheet contends that the department has spent over $3 trillion since its founding without producing meaningful improvements in student performance. Declines in math and reading scores among 13-year-olds are highlighted as indicators of worsening educational outcomes. According to The Nation's Report Card, while math scores showed gains between 1992 and 2019, reading achievement has stagnated, with further losses linked to pandemic disruptions.
Despite the restructuring, the order will preserve key federal funding programs, including Title I assistance for low-income schools, support for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and federal student loans. A senior administration official emphasized that the order will "ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely."
At her Senate confirmation hearing, McMahon sought to reassure lawmakers that vital funding streams would not be disrupted. "It is not the president's goal to defund the programs. It was only to have it operate more efficiently," she said.
Still, the move has drawn sharp criticism from Democrats and some Republicans. "What's the end goal here? Destroying public education in America," stated Sen. Patty Murray (D., Wash.). "The effects of Trump and [Trump advisor Elon] Musk's slash and burn campaign will be felt across our state-by students and families who suffer from the loss of Department staff working to ensure their rights under federal law."
The order also bars any remaining Education Department funds from supporting diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) or gender-related initiatives. It argues that department-imposed regulations, including compliance with federal guidance letters, divert attention and resources away from schools' primary mission of teaching.
Although federal dollars represent a small share-typically 6% to 13%-of public school budgets, they play a crucial role in serving vulnerable student populations, including children from low-income backgrounds and students with disabilities. Critics argue that dismantling the department could weaken protections for these groups, regardless of funding guarantees.
Public opinion appears skeptical of the effort. A late February NPR/PBS News/Marist poll found that 63% of Americans oppose the department's elimination, compared to 37% who support it.
