On 20 March 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to 'take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education' and return authority over education to the states, while preserving certain services. Full elimination of the department would require congressional approval; under McMahon the department subsequently cut a large share of staff and moved to transfer core functions elsewhere.
On 20 March 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to 'take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education' and return authority over education to the states, while preserving certain services. Full elimination of the department would require congressional approval; under McMahon the department subsequently cut a large share of staff and moved to transfer core functions elsewhere.
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Closing or hollowing out the federal department that administers major funding streams (Title I, student aid, special-education grants) reduces centralised public-education financing capacity; the magnitude depends on what Congress and states ultimately do.
Cuts to federal education research, data and program offices reduce supports that inform teacher development and supply, a secondary and uncertain effect.
