Fact Sheet: President Donald J. Trump Empowers Parents, States, and Communities to Improve Education Outcomes
RETURNING EDUCATION TO PARENTS AND COMMUNITIES: Today, President Donald J. Trump signed an Executive Order returning power over education to families instead of bureaucracies.
On March 20, 2025, President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order initiating the process to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, aiming to return educational authority to individual states and local communities.
Rationale Behind the Decision:
Since its establishment in 1979, the Department of Education has expended over $3 trillion. Despite this significant investment, student achievement has seen minimal improvement:
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Declining Academic Performance: Math and reading scores for 13-year-olds have reached their lowest levels in decades.
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Proficiency Challenges: Approximately 60% of fourth graders and nearly 75% of eighth graders are not proficient in math. Additionally, 70% of fourth and eighth graders are not proficient in reading, with 40% of fourth graders not meeting basic reading levels.
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Stagnant Test Scores: Standardized test scores have remained flat for decades, and U.S. students currently rank 28th out of 37 OECD member countries in math.
Administration's Perspective:
The Trump administration contends that the federal oversight of education has led to inefficiencies and that states are better equipped to address the unique needs of their populations. By decentralizing control, the administration believes that educational freedom and opportunities for families can be expanded. The White House
Implications of the Executive Order:
The executive order directs the Secretary of Education to facilitate the closure of the Department and ensure a smooth transition of responsibilities to states and local entities. However, completely dismantling the Department requires congressional approval, making the full realization of this initiative uncertain.
Public and Political Reactions:
The move has received mixed reactions:
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Support: Advocates argue that returning control to states will lead to more tailored and effective educational programs. The White House
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Criticism: Opponents express concerns that the absence of federal oversight could exacerbate educational disparities, particularly affecting low-income and marginalized communities.
As the process unfolds, debates continue regarding the best approach to improve educational outcomes and the appropriate balance between federal and state roles in education.
- The Executive Order directs the Secretary of Education to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States, while continuing to ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.
- The Order also directs that programs or activities receiving any remaining Department of Education funds will not advance DEI or gender ideology.
DISMANTLING BUREAUCRACY AND EMPOWERING FAMILIES: Federal government control of education has failed students, parents, and teachers.
- Since its relatively recent inception in 1979, the Department of Education, which does not directly educate students, has spent over $3 trillion without improving student achievement as measured by standardized National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores.
- Federal taxpayers spent around $200 billion in additional education funding during COVID-19, which, given the substantial learning loss that resulted, typifies the ineffectiveness of the current federally driven model.
- Mathematics and reading scores are down in public schools, despite per-pupil spending having increased by more than 245% since the 1970s, indicating that more spending does not mean better education.
- 13-year-olds’ mathematics scores are the lowest they have been in decades.
- 13-year-olds’ reading scores are the lowest since testing began over 30 years ago.
- Low-performing students are falling further behind.
- In 2023, 13 Baltimore, Maryland, high schools had zero students who tested proficient in mathematics.
- The Department of Education burdens schools with regulations and paperwork.
- Its “Dear Colleague” letters have forced schools to redirect resources toward complying with ideological initiatives, which diverts staff time and attention away from schools’ primary role of teaching.
- Biden’s Department of Education added rules that imposed nearly $3.9 billion in costs and 4,239,530 paperwork hours.
- Taxpayers will no longer be burdened with tens of billions of dollars wasted on progressive social experiments and obsolete programs.
- Under the Biden Administration, the Department of Education wasted more than $1 billion in grants focused on entrenching radical ideologies in education.
- Biden’s Department of Education rewrote Title IX rules to expand the definition of “sex” discrimination to include “gender identity.”
- The Trump Administration recently canceled $226 million in grants under the Comprehensive Centers Program that forced radical agendas onto states and systems, including race-based discrimination and gender identity ideology.
FULFILLING PROMISES TO PARENTS AND STUDENTS: President Trump has outlined a bold vision for America’s schools and returning education back to the states.
- During his campaign, President Trump said “I will close the Department of Education and move education back to the states where it belongs.”
- While speaking on parental rights in education, President Trump spoke of a dramatic rethinking of schools: “I want every parent in America to be empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice. The time for universal school choice has come. As we return education to the states, I will use every power I have to give parents this right.”
- Since returning to office, President Trump has already signed an Executive Order to expand educational freedom and opportunity for families, recognizing our government-assigned education system has failed millions of parents, students, and teachers.