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By Victoria Hansen, HansenV@Findlay.edu
President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities” at 4:40 p.m. on Thursday, March 20. The 669-word-long order had one objective: shutting down the US Department of Education.
“The Secretary of Education shall, to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law, take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education,” according to the order.
The Department of Education’s two main tasks are to participate in the national dialogue on improving the US educational system through research, community awareness, and engagement and to administer educational programs across the country. Programs administered by the Department of Education include the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and Pell Grants.
While government financial aid is not likely to be removed entirely, the order compared the loans given by the Department of Education to Wells Fargo, saying that “The Department of Education is not a bank, and it must return bank functions to an entity equipped to serve America’s students.”
President Trump long criticized the Department of Education, calling it ‘massive’ and suggesting it could be ‘largely eliminated.’ During his 2024 campaign, he promised to close the Department. Project 2025 recommended shutting down the Department of Education, and although not written by the Trump campaign, it has been widely enacted by the administration.
The Department of Education, created by an act of Congress, raises the question of whether an executive order can dissolve it. This executive order will likely face court challenges, as it requires dissolution by an act of Congress as well.
This announcement comes after an announcement on March 11 that the Department of Education would cut roughly half of their workforce down to 2,183 employees.
