By the end of the day, President Trump is expected to sign a long-anticipated executive order (EO) that will kickstart the process of closing the Department of Education (ED)—a move he has promised since launching his 2024 campaign, citing decades of bureaucratic waste and rising federal spending in Washington, which have failed to yield any significant improvements in test scores or learning outcomes.
His decision to close the ED follows a series of ambitious education reform initiatives.
In his first month back in office, President Trump signed Executive Order 14190, titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling.” This directive bans K-12 schools from using materials considered anti-American or subversive, specifically targeting the promotion of “gender ideology” and critical race theory. The effect of this order extends beyond education, significantly affecting biomedical research, particularly funding for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). It halts federal grants for diversity-related projects and places a cap on indirect cost payments—funds previously used by universities under the pretense of supporting research infrastructure but often diverted into administrative overhead.
Days later, Trump issued Executive Order 14168, “Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government.” In response, the Department of Education (ED) followed with a Dear Colleague Letter enforcing Title IX under the 2020 rule. Public colleges must now recognize only two genders—male and female—or risk losing federal funding, marking a significant shift in the protection of women’s rights.
In line with this directive, the administration has moved to dismantle diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs within educational institutions. Under Trump’s direction, the ED launched an “End DEI” portal in February, allowing the public to report DEI initiatives in schools. The agency also warned universities that continued implementation of DEI programs could result in federal funding cuts. Minding the Campus has extensively covered DEI’s persistence despite legislative bans, including in Texas, where, as Louis Galarowicz reported, state funding for DEI initiatives continues, costing taxpayers millions.
Linda McMahon’s confirmation as Education Secretary on March 4 marked a decisive step toward dismantling the agency—essentially tasking her with eliminating her own position. Since her confirmation, the ED has undergone substantial changes, including a 50 percent reduction in its workforce. McMahon defended the move as a commitment to ensuring that “resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers.” Though Democratic lawmakers have stirred fears that essential funding could be at risk, the ED has assured that all programs under its jurisdiction—including Pell Grants, student loans, and special education—will remain fully funded.
[RELATED: We Need to Keep the Department of Education]
But eliminating the Department of Education (ED) is no small task.
Some conservative reformers, including contributors to Minding the Campus, argue that rather than dismantling the agency outright, reformers should root out its entrenched leftist ideology and redirect its bloated budget toward meaningful educational improvements. But even those who support full elimination acknowledge the steep challenges ahead. “Since the ED was created by Congress, it would take formal congressional action to eliminate it, and the [Trump] administration lacks the votes,” said Richard Vedder, Distinguished Professor of Economics Emeritus at Ohio University, a Senior Fellow at the Independent Institute, and a board member of the National Association of Scholars.
Dismantling the ED requires congressional approval, and past efforts have failed due to a lack of bipartisan support. And despite a Republican majority in both chambers, resistance to Trump’s policies is at an all-time high. In fact, preemptive challenges to the ED’s closure are already in place. New York State has filed a lawsuit against the administration, arguing that Trump lacks the authority to dismantle the ED without legislative action. The lawsuit, led by Attorney General Letitia James, claims, “This administration may claim to be stopping waste and fraud, but it is clear that their only mission is to take away the necessary services, resources, and funding that students and their families need.”
Moreover, even if Trump succeeds, the longevity of these reforms is far from guaranteed. Just as he swiftly overturned Biden-era executive orders, a future administration could just as easily reinstate the ED and undo his policies. If the department is dissolved, its responsibilities would likely be redistributed across various federal agencies—making its eventual revival not only more feasible but also more difficult to track, as education oversight becomes scattered across bureaucratic silos.
Trump’s case for eliminating the ED—DEI indoctrination, declining academic achievement, and rampant bureaucratic waste—is well-founded. But the reportedly imminent executive order may prove to be short-lived.
Image: “U.S. Department of Education, Washington, D.C.” by Ken Lund on Flickr
“Executive Order 14190, titled “Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling.” This directive bans K-12 schools from using materials considered anti-American or subversive, specifically targeting the promotion of “gender ideology” and critical race theory.”
If the Federal ED Department is abolished, who will enforce this?
Do you think that Janet Mills will? She’s already openly challenging Trump to sue her, and who in the US DOJ knows anything about education policy? (I’m not sure anyone in ED does either, but you really need someone able to recognize these things in order to recognize them, as i assure you they’ll be renamed…)