Trump signs executive order to dismantle Education Department

President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday to begin the process of shutting down the Department of Education in an effort to return control of education to states and local communities. The move, which marks a significant change in federal education policy, was one of the president's promises during his presidential candidacy.

A historic decision

During the announcement at the White House, Trump called the decision "a very historic action that is 45 years in the making." He argued that the redistribution of functions will allow states to better manage education resources.

"Closing the Department of Education would provide children and their families the opportunity to escape a system that is failing them," the president said. He argued that although per capita spending on education increased by more than 245% since 1979, there have been no "measurable" improvements in student achievement.

According to data cited, 70% of eighth-grade students in the United States do not reach proficiency levels in reading and mathematics, which is evidence of the ineffectiveness of the federal bureaucracy in this area.

Redeployment of key functions

Despite the agency's closure, Trump assured that essential programs such as Pell Grants, Title 1 funding and resources for children with disabilities will remain unchanged and will be transferred to other government agencies.

"We are going to be returning education very simply, back to the United States where it belongs. It's a commonsense thing to do, and it's going to work," Trump stated. He further stressed that the Office of Federal Student Aid manages a student loan portfolio of more than $1.6 trillion, a volume comparable to that of the nation's largest banks, reinforcing the need for restructuring.

Implementation and next steps

The Secretary of Education will be responsible for coordinating the phased closure of the department, ensuring continuity of services during the transition. The order also establishes that any program funded with federal funds must strictly comply with current laws and avoid initiatives that promote gender ideology under terms such as "diversity, equity and inclusion."

During his remarks, Trump assured that his administration will continue to support teachers. "I want to just make one little personal statement: Teachers, to me, are among the most important people in this country—and we're going to take care of our teachers," he said.

The process of shutting down the Department of Education will require the cooperation of Congress and could face legal and legislative challenges in the coming months.