On Thursday, March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that asked the US education secretary, Linda McMahon, to start dismantling the Department of Education. 

The Department of Education, started by Lyndon B Johnson in 1979, provides federal oversight for the funding and governing of schools. According to Newsweek, the department oversees student loans and financial aid as well.

The Department of Education receives just 2% of government funding, but that is still $241.66 billion as of 2024.

In an interview with CBS News earlier this year, Trump said, “We’re trying to get the schools back into the states. Let the states run the schools. And I’ll tell you, you’ll see something, it’s gonna blow your mind, it’ll run so well.”

According to The Guardian, the federal government does not mandate curriculum in schools. The Guardian explains, “That has been the responsibility of state and local governments, which provide 90% of the funding to schools.”  For example, Ohio gets $651.1 million from the federal government and the rest of its $13 billion spending comes from the state and local levels. 

Some have noted that Trump cannot shut down the department just by signing the order. In the article, What is the Department of Education – and can Trump dismantle it? BBC News stated that Trump will also likely need congressional approval to get rid of the department as well as “a supermajority in the US Senate – 60 out of 100 senators.”

Parents have the most questions about how education might be impacted if the department is going to shut down. The article What Parents Should Know About Trump’s Plan to Dismantle Dept. of Education – Newsweek, said most are more nervous about the possible impacts. The Department of Education currently handles issues with civil right violations and ensures the needs of those with disabilities are met.  Those with little faith in their state’s Department of Education may be the most concerned about equity and funding moving forward.