President Donald Trump took a historic step this week to dismantle the Department of Education, a federal agency critics say has wasted billions while failing students for decades. The move fulfills a key campaign promise to shrink Washington’s role in local schools, a vision conservatives have pushed since Jimmy Carter created the department in 1979.
Speaking at the White House, Trump outlined five decades of failure under what he called a “bloated liberal experiment.” Since its creation under Carter, the department’s budget ballooned to $268 billion while math and reading scores plunged. Trump cited shocking data showing 13-year-olds’ math skills at historic lows and Baltimore schools where zero students passed basic math tests.
The department grew from Carter’s push to centralize education power in Washington, expanding federal control over schools. But Republicans argue this violated states’ rights and created a swamp of bureaucrats pushing progressive agendas instead of teaching basics. Trump’s order returns authority to states, freeing them from mandates on divisive issues like gender ideology and critical race theory.
Half the department’s staff has already been laid off, with remaining workers placed on leave. Education Secretary Linda McMahon called it a “final mission” to end Washington’s meddling in classrooms. Federal student aid and special education funding will continue, but states regain control over curriculum, standards, and spending—ending Washington’s one-size-fits-all approach.
Conservatives cheered the move as overdue. Parent advocacy group Moms for Liberty said it “empowers families instead of D.C. elites.” Experts noted the department’s own data proves its failures: per-student spending tripled since 1979 while test scores collapsed. Taxpayers wasted billions on programs like $1.6 billion in canceled grants funding liberal policies instead of reading drills.
The Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 blueprint guided Trump’s strategy, framing education as a state responsibility. Critics warn dismantling the department risks harming vulnerable students, but supporters counter that local leaders know their communities best. Trump promised school choice options will flourish as states customize education without federal strings.
Closing the department fully requires Congress to repeal Carter’s 1979 law, but Trump’s order jumpstarts the process. McMahon will transfer remaining functions to other agencies, ending 45 years of bureaucratic bloat. The president vowed this is just the first step in a broader push to shrink government and restore parental rights.
As Trump signs the order surrounded by students, conservatives celebrate a return to common-sense education focused on basics—not politics. The move sparks hope that states will refocus schools on merit, achievement, and preparing kids for careers instead of indoctrination. After decades of failure, Washington’s classroom takeover is finally ending.
