The Department of Education serves a pivotal role in the lives of American children. It’s the federal agency that provides the funding for K-12 education, special education programs and school improvement plans. It also provides Pell Grants and federal student loans to college students in the nation. The essential department is now under attack by the new administration. Learn more about the department’s important role in students’ lives below!
What Is the Department of Education?
The Department of Educaton “promotes student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access for students of all ages,” according to the Department of Education’s official website.
What Is the Purpose of the Dept. of Education?
The Department of Education’s mission is: “Assuring access to equal educational opportunities, improve the quality of education, improve the coordination of Federal education programs,” and much more, according to the Department of Education’s official website.
How Many Employees Does the Dept. of Education Have?
The Department of Education has around 4,400 employees, according to multiple outlets. It is the smallest cabinet-level department.
Can Trump Dismantle the Department?
Donald Trump is planning on abolishing the Department of Education with an executive order, however, being that the department is set up by Congress, Congress would have to pass an act to shut it down. During a news briefing in the Oval Office, Trump stated to the press: “We spend more per pupil than any other country in the world, and we’re ranked at the bottom of the list. Let the states run schools,” as reported by CNN.
This isn’t the first time that Trump has commented on the Department of Education. During his campaign trail he has stated: “We will drain the government education swamp and stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars to indoctrinate America’s youth with all sorts of things that you don’t want to have our youth hearing,” per CNN. The Department of Education only receives about 2% of the federal budget, according to multiple outlets.
Last week, republicans wrote up bill, H.R. 899 in an effort to eliminate the department, which mentions abolishing it on December 31, 2026, however, it is assumed that the Senate will use a filibuster to block the bill from succeeding, per Forbes.
When Was the Department of Education Created?
The Department of Education was created under former President Jimmy Carter in 1979. When Ronald Reagan came into office, he had the same agenda of eliminating the department but was unable to do so due to Congress.
