CV NEWS FEED // President Donald Trump signed an executive order Thursday aimed at significantly reducing the scope of the Department of Education, marking one of the most consequential shifts in federal education policy in decades.
The directive seeks to transfer much of the federal government’s education authority to individual states while maintaining key programs like Pell Grants and student loans at the federal level.
Ahead of a White House signing ceremony, Trump characterized the order as a move “to begin eliminating the Department of Education once and for all.”
“I want to just make one little personal statement,” Trump also said. “Teachers, to me, are among the most important people in this country — and we’re going to take care of our teachers. …And I believe the states will take actually better care of them than they are taken care of right now.”
“We’re gonna love and cherish our teachers, along with our children,” he added, “and they’re gonna work with the parents and they’re gonna work with everyone else. And it’s gonna be an amazing thing to watch…”
.@POTUS: "I want to just make one little personal statement: Teachers, to me, are among the most important people in this country — and we're going to take care of our teachers." pic.twitter.com/6KUtGk02X5
— Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) March 20, 2025
Trump has long criticized the Department of Education, arguing that taxpayer dollars are being misused to “indoctrinate America’s youth,” as Fox News reported Thursday. He emphasized that returning control to states will “stop the abuse of your taxpayer dollars” and allow for more effective education policies at the local level.
The executive order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of dismantling the agency and redistributing its programs. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clarified to reporters Thursday that the department would not be eliminated entirely but instead “greatly minimized.”
Democratic leaders and teachers’ unions have vowed legal action to thwart the administration’s effort at education reform.
Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, called the decision “one of the most destructive and devastating steps” of Trump’s presidency and called on judges to block it. The American Federation of Teachers had already pledged to sue before Trump signed the order, with AFT President Randi Weingarten stating, “See you in court.”
This dramatic policy shift comes amid growing public dissatisfaction with the state of American public education.
A Gallup poll from February found that only 24% of Americans are satisfied with the US education system, down from 37% in 2017. Additionally, the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress report revealed stagnant or declining test scores among students nationwide.
As part of a broader education overhaul, Trump has also championed school choice, aiming to give parents greater control over their children’s education. As CatholicVote reported at the time, one of Trump’s first executive orders upon returning to office directed the Department of Education and other agencies to prioritize and facilitate school choice initiatives. The order also endorsed state-level school choice legislation as models for future national efforts.
As CatholicVote has also reported, the US Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has expressed support for the Educational Choice for Children Act, which seeks to expand access to scholarships and schooling options through private philanthropy.
Trump has additionally been pressing Texas lawmakers to pass a key school choice bill, and the White House recently hosted a roundtable discussion with top state officials to advance the school choice movement nationwide.