Closing the US-Department of Education? - US President Trump takes the gloves off
During his presidential campaign, Donald Trump already announced boldly that he wanted to close the Department of Education as soon as he was elected president. While "officially closing the doors of the Education Department may prove difficult", as the National Education Association (NEA) states, "dismantling its key functions and stripping its funds is a very real and present danger" (NEA Today, February 4, 2025). The danger mentioned by NEA on 4 February has now become a little more concrete on 20 March, when Trump signed a decree that is actually intended to strip the Ministry of Education of many of its competences. It should be remembered, however, that many Republicans have wanted to abolish the Department of Education since its founding in 1979/80, most notably former President Ronald Reagan (1981-89) (see a BBC article on this from March 21, 2025).
Read the following articles compiled by Education Worldwide to find out what Donald Trump and the Republicans are concerned about with the central US Department of Education, which services the department should now shut down or transfer to the states, and what consequences this will have for pupils, students, teachers, and parents:
- Trump signs executive order in first step to shut down Department of Education (BBC 20.03.25)
- What’s next for the Department of Education after Trump begins effort to eliminate it (PBS 20.03.25)
- How Dismantling the Department of Education Would Harm Students (NEA Today 04.02.25, updated 20.03.25)
