ImprovingEducationOutcomesbyEmpowering Parents,States,andCommunities
EstablishedbyCongressin1980,theDepartmentofEducation(ED)is responsibleformanagingeducationdata,overseeingfinancialaid programs,distributingschoolfunding,andensuringcompliancewithcivil rightslawsineducation.OnMarch20,2025,PresidentTrumpsignedan executiveordertoinitiatethedismantlingoftheEDandtransfer educationalauthoritybacktothestatesandlocalgovernments.The orderalsodirectstheSecretaryofEducationtoensurethatanyprogram oractivityreceivingfederalfundsfromtheEDnolongerincludesany initiativesrelatedtodiversity,equity,andinclusion(DEI)andgender ideology.TheorderwouldalsodissolvetheED’sOfficeforCivilRights, whichinvestigatescomplaintsofdiscriminationineducational institutions,leavingBlackstudentsandotherminoritystudents vulnerabletouncheckeddiscrimination.
CurrentLandscape
SincePresidentTrumpissuedthisexecutiveorder,theEDhasreducedits workforcebyover50%andproposedsignificantbudgetcutsthatwill affectpreschoolagestudentstoadultsfinishingtheireducation.The budgetcutswillalsorestrictfederalfundingthroughtheIndividualswith DisabilitiesEducationAct(IDEA)thatbenefitsstudentswithdisabilities. UndertheTrumpAdministration,theEDisnotrenewinga$1billion investmentinmentalhealthfundingforschoolsthathadalreadybeen allocatedasapartoftheBipartisanSaferCommunitiesAct,citingDEI concerns.Whileallstudentswillfeeltheeffectsofthisorder,Black studentswillbedisproportionatelyimpacted,astheyaremorelikelyto receiveIDEAfunding,andaremorelikelytohavetheirmentalhealth negativelyimpactedbyonlinediscriminationthantheirpeers.
Thisexecutiveorderiscurrentlyfacingmultiplelegalchallenges.More thantwentystatesandseveraladvocacygroups,includingtheNational EducationAssociationandtheNAACP,havefiledlawsuitsagainstthe TrumpAdministration,assertingthatthePresidentdoesnothavethe authoritytodismantletheED.TheConstitutiongrantsCongresstheability toestablishfederalagencies,aswellastheirfunctionsandjurisdictions, fuelingtheplaintiffs’claimthattheexecutiveorderisunenforceable.The groupsalsoarguethattheorderviolatestheAdministrativeProcedure Act,whichoutlinestheprocessforfederalagenciestodevelop regulations.OnMay22,2025,afederaljudgeissuedaninjunctionto freezetheReductioninForceattheEDandorderedtheEDtorehireall employeesthatwerefiredsincetheorderwasissued.Theselegal mattersareongoingandwilllikelyreachtheU.S.SupremeCourt.
CurrentLandscape
TheorderalsocomplicatestheTrumpAdministration’soveralleducation policyagenda.OnApril23,2025,PresidentTrumpsignedanexecutive ordertoestablishtheWhiteHouseInitiativeonHistoricallyBlackColleges andUniversities(HBCUs),whichaimstofacilitatepublic-privateand philanthropicpartnershipstopromoteresearchandprogramsatHBCUs, buildpipelinesforstudentswhoareinterestedinattendingHBCUs,and provideprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesforHBCUstudentsinkey professionalsectors.Rep.AlmaAdams,ChairoftheCongressionalHBCU Caucus,laudedthisexecutiveorderbutalsocautionedthattheorder’s objectiveswouldbefurthercomplicatedbytheTrumpAdministration’s attemptstodismantletheED.TheEDmanagesPellGrants,afinancialaid optionforstudentsfromfamiliesmakinglessthan$40,000ayear.Nearly 60%ofBlackcollegestudentsreceivePellGrants,andtheEDlayoffscould disruptthedisbursementoffunds,makingitharderforBlackstudentsto attendcollege.Additionally,despiteclaimsthatHBCUswouldnotbe affectedbyfederalfundingcuts,PresidentTrump’sbudgetproposal reducedfundingforHowardUniversity,thenation’sonlyfederally charteredHBCU.
BecauseCongressestablishedtheED,PresidentTrumpcannoteliminate theDepartmentbyexecutiveorderalone.However,inJanuary2025, Republicanlawmakersproposedtwobillsthatwouldabolishit.H.R.369 andH.R.899wouldreallocatefundsandprogramoversight including PellGrantsandspecialeducationgrants tootherfederalagenciesand states.BothbillshavebeenreferredtotheHouseCommitteeon EducationandWorkforce,wheretheyarecurrentlystalled.However,as theacademicyearwindsdown,educatorsareunsurehowthisexecutive order,theloominglegislation,andthependinglitigationwillimpacttheir classroomswhentheyreturninthefall.