Written by Matthew Collins.

The White House is gearing up to issue an executive order aimed at dismantling the Department of Education, according to sources familiar with the plan. While this move aligns with years of promises from former President Donald Trump and other Republican leaders, it faces a significant legal hurdle: a president cannot unilaterally eliminate a federal agency without congressional approval.

The idea of shutting down the Education Department isn’t new. It dates back to the early 1980s when President Ronald Reagan and conservatives pushed for decentralizing education and shifting control back to state and local governments. Over the decades, however, efforts to scrap the department never gained enough traction to pass through Congress. Now, with renewed political will, the question remains: Will this time be different?

The Push for State Control Over Education

Trump has consistently argued that education should be handled at the state level rather than dictated by bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. During his 2024 campaign, he made clear that abolishing the Department of Education would be a top priority, claiming that America spends more than $1 trillion annually on public education yet lags behind other developed nations in student performance.

His proposal to shut down the department was officially adopted into the Republican Party platform last summer, signaling strong party support. The idea also gained traction within Project 2025, a policy framework influencing conservative policymaking.

School choice has been another pillar of Trump’s education agenda. Just last week, he signed an order instructing the Education Department to issue guidance on how states can use federal funds to expand school choice programs. Many Republican-led states have already moved in this direction, increasing funding for private and charter schools.

What Eliminating the Department Could Mean

The Education Department plays a massive role in the U.S. school system. It oversees programs serving more than 50 million students across nearly 100,000 public schools and 32,000 private schools. It also administers financial aid programs benefiting more than 12 million college students through grants, loans, and work-study opportunities.

Critics of the plan, like Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, argue that dissolving the department would have devastating consequences. She warns that doing so would:

• Strip funding from vulnerable students.
• Increase class sizes.
• Cut job training programs.
• Make higher education more expensive.
• Weaken special education services.
• Roll back civil rights protections in schools.

Supporters, however, argue that the federal government has too much influence over local schools and that sending education policy back to the states would allow for more tailored, effective approaches to learning. They believe this could lead to less bureaucracy, more innovation, and better accountability at the local level.

The Legislative Battle Ahead

Although Republicans currently control both chambers of Congress, any attempt to dissolve the department would face steep challenges in the Senate. To overcome a filibuster, they would need at least 60 votes, meaning Democratic support would be necessary—an unlikely scenario given the party’s strong backing of federal education programs.

Some GOP lawmakers are already moving forward with legislation to achieve this goal. Reps. Thomas Massie (R-KY) and David Rouzer (R-NC) have introduced bills to dismantle the department, with Massie’s measure attracting 27 Republican co-sponsors. Meanwhile, Sen. Mike Rounds (R-SD) has indicated he plans to reintroduce similar legislation in the Senate.

While the push to abolish the Education Department may face significant obstacles, it’s clear that Republicans are making this issue a cornerstone of their policy agenda heading into future elections.

Our Take

The push to eliminate the Department of Education represents a broader conservative effort to rein in federal overreach and return power to states. Critics argue that doing so would harm students, particularly those in vulnerable communities, but it’s worth considering whether federal involvement in education has truly improved outcomes. If states can tailor policies to fit their unique needs without interference from Washington, there’s potential for more effective and accountable education systems. However, the challenge lies in ensuring that no student is left behind in the transition.