As of Thursday March 20th of 2025 President Donald Trump is set to sign an executive order to begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education. This recent development has gotten Empire Posts wondering the pros and cons this would have and if it is even realistic given the challenges it would face in the Legislative Branch.
REASON FOR THE PROPOSAL
LOCAL CONTROL OVER EDUCATION
The main argument for abolishing the Department of Education is that education policy should be controlled at the state and local levels rather than by Washington, D.C.
People in favor of abolishing the Department argue that states know their students’ needs better and can create policies that are more relevant to their specific populations.
Critics of the Department of Education claim it has become an unecessary burden resulting in the waste of billions of dollars for little to no educational benefit.
REDUCING THE SIZE OF THE GOVERNMENT
Some conservatives argue that the federal government has used the Department of Education to push left-leaning ideologies in schools, particularly in areas like gender studies, race relations, and history.
By eliminating the department, states and local school districts would have more power in shaping educational content without government intervention.
SCHOOL CHOICE
School choice policies, such as charter schools, voucher programs, and homeschooling could benefit from the department’s dismantling.
Dismantling the Department of Education could lead to less government influence on private and charter schools, allowing for expanded school choice.
SAVING MONEY
The Department of Education’s budget in the fiscal year of 2024 was approximately $268 billion. Eliminating the department could save billions IN THEORY, however it is not clear what the billions saved would be allocated to.
WHAT THE CONSEQUENCES COULD BE
Democrats have cited the following as reasons to not dismantle the Department of Education :
LOSS OF FEDERAL FUNDING FOR CERTAIN PROGRAMS
The Department of Education provides funding for programs that support low-income students, students with disabilities, and federal financial aid for college students. If the Department of Education is eliminated, states would need to make up for this lost funding, which may not be possible in states with less money on hand.
DISCRIMINATION RISK
The Department of Education enforces federal civil rights laws in schools, including protections for students against discrimination and the department’s dismantling could make it harder to supervise and punish states that do not uphold the protections the department gave them.
DISRUPTION TO STUDENT LOANS
The department oversees federal student loans, if abolished, it is unknown at this time who would take over these responsibilities, creating uncertainty for millions of students relying on federal aid.
OPPOSITION
Teachers’ unions, civil rights groups and multiple other organizations would likely find ways to protest and oppose the dismantling leading to potential disruption and/or unrest.
IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE?
Even if President Trump were to push forward with his plan, abolishing the Department of Education would likely require the passage of a bill. Given that past attempts to eliminate the department have failed, it remains unknown whether this effort would succeed. Republican majorities in the House of Representatives and the Senate mean that abolishing the Department of Education could be easier than originally thought, that is if every Senator and Representative votes on party lines.
Empire Posts leaves the decision of whether the Department of Education is worth dismantling to the reader, however this student organization’s purpose is to encourage action, therefore regardless of your conclusion it is highly recommended you contact your local congressman or state senator to do your part in the legislative process.