Trump to Sign Executive Order to Begin Dismantling Department of Education

The move aims to transfer education authority to states, but full abolition requires congressional approval and faces legal challenges.

President Trump will sign an executive order on March 20, 2025, directing the closure of the Department of Education, fulfilling a key campaign promise.
The order instructs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take steps to transfer education authority to states while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of statutory programs like Title I and IDEA.
Legal experts and critics argue that fully abolishing the department requires congressional action, making its complete dismantling unlikely in the near term.
The Department of Education has already undergone significant downsizing, with its workforce reduced by half through layoffs and buyouts in recent weeks.
The executive order cites declining test scores and ideological focus as reasons for the department’s closure, aligning with long-standing Republican priorities to decentralize education policy.