Potential implications if the Education Department is shut down.

Potential implications if the Education Department is shut down.

Under President Donald Trump's second term, the Department of Education is undergoing significant changes. The department, which commands more than $200 billion, is being actively dismantled through executive actions and staffing cuts.

Linda McMahon, confirmed as education secretary in March 2025, is at the helm of these changes. McMahon, who described her role as guiding the department through its "final mission," has initiated staffing cuts at the department, following a Supreme Court order clearing the way for the termination of more than 1,000 of its workers.

One of the most significant changes is the transfer of student financial aid and loans from the Education Department to the Small Business Administration. Special needs and nutrition programs, on the other hand, are being assigned to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The Trump administration's actions have not been without controversy. The Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which investigates complaints against school districts, universities, and other education institutions to ensure they are not discriminating against students and others based on race/ethnicity, disability, sex, age, or national origin, has faced major closures. Seven out of 12 regional offices have been shuttered, and over 1,300 total staff have been laid off across the department.

These actions have led to legal challenges, with federal judges questioning parts of these moves, particularly those involving the OCR. Lawsuits led by students and civil rights groups argue that these actions violate civil rights protections and undermine student support functions. The department has appealed some court rulings to proceed with these closures and layoffs.

The administration has also used its funding power to pressure universities on cultural and ideological grounds. Notably, over $400 million in federal funding was halted for Columbia University, and over $2 billion for Harvard University, in response to disputes concerning campus activism and alleged antisemitism.

Despite Congressional hurdles to formally abolish the Department of Education—requiring a supermajority which is currently lacking—the Trump administration is using executive authority and judicial rulings to push forward with dismantling efforts.

It's important to note that the dismantling of the Department of Education would likely have little or no impact on the school lunch program, as it is run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Similarly, many federal education programs, as well as some that touch schools, exist outside of the Education Department.

Regardless of the future of the Department of Education, Trump could, with the support of Congress, take some action to expand school choice nationwide. The most well-known and biggest federal early childhood programs, Head Start and the Child Care Development Block Grant, are not a part of the Education Department - they're administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.

In the next Trump term, education and civil rights advocates expect a more drastic scenario, with the administration potentially cutting funding for the Office for Civil Rights and using it to advance priorities such as investigating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs within school districts and colleges.

The Institute of Education Sciences (IES), the research and statistics arm of the Education Department, is mandated by law and would not disappear overnight even if the agency were abolished. IES collects and aggregates data from more than 19,000 school districts around the country, including the number of students, dollars spent on schools, class sizes, years teachers stay in the job, and more. IES also disburses millions of dollars each year to researchers to develop new ideas for improving instruction and evaluates programs afterward.

In conclusion, the Department of Education under Trump's second term is being actively dismantled by executive order, significant staffing reductions, reorganization of its duties to other federal agencies, and funding pressures on educational institutions, amidst ongoing legal challenges and political resistance. The future of education in the United States under this administration remains uncertain.

[1] https://www.nytimes.com/2025/07/15/us/politics/trump-education-department.html [2] https://www.washingtonpost.com/education/2025/07/14/trump-education-department-layoffs/ [3] https://www.edweek.org/leadership/management/trump-administration-aims-to-eliminate-education-department-grants-and-programs/2025/07 [4] https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2025/07/14/trump-education-department-layoffs-supreme-court-rules-against-injunction/115268488/ [5] https://www.courthousenews.com/trump-administration-fights-to-lay-off-education-department-staffers/

1. The Department of Education, under President Donald Trump's leadership, is undergoing substantial changes.
2. The Department of Education manages over $200 billion and is being actively dismantled through executive actions and staffing cuts.
3. Linda McMahon, appointed as education secretary in March 2025, is driving these changes.
4. McMahon is guided by a mission to guide the department through its final mission.
5. Staffing cuts have been initiated at the department, following a Supreme Court order.
6. More than 1,000 workers at the department are set to be terminated.
7. One significant change is the transfer of student financial aid and loans from the Education Department to the Small Business Administration.
8. Special needs and nutrition programs are being assigned to the Department of Health and Human Services.
9. The administration's actions have not been without controversy.
10. Seven out of 12 regional offices of the Office for Civil Rights have been shuttered.
11. Over 1,300 staff have been laid off across the department.
12. These actions have led to legal challenges, with federal judges questioning parts of these moves.
13. Lawsuits led by students and civil rights groups argue that these actions violate civil rights protections.
14. The department has appealed some court rulings to proceed with these closures and layoffs.
15. The administration has used its funding power to pressure universities on cultural and ideological grounds.
16. Over $400 million in federal funding was halted for Columbia University.
17. Over $2 billion was halted for Harvard University.
18. Despite Congressional hurdles, the Trump administration is using executive authority to push forward with dismantling efforts.
19. The school lunch program, run by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, is unlikely to be impacted.
20. Many federal education programs, as well as some that touch schools, exist outside of the Education Department.
21. The administration could expand school choice nationwide with support from Congress.
22. Head Start and the Child Care Development Block Grant, the most well-known and biggest federal early childhood programs, are not part of the Education Department.
23. They're administered by the Department of Health and Human Services.
24. In the next Trump term, education and civil rights advocates expect a more drastic scenario.
25. The Office for Civil Rights funding could potentially be cut, and the funds may be used to advance priorities such as investigating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
26. The Institute of Education Sciences, the research and statistics arm of the Education Department, would not disappear overnight even if the agency were abolished.
27. IES collects and aggregates data from more than 19,000 school districts around the country.
28. IES also disburses millions of dollars each year to researchers.
29. These researchers develop new ideas for improving instruction and evaluate programs afterward.
30. In conclusion, the Department of Education under Trump's second term is being actively dismantled by executive order, significant staffing reductions, reorganization of its duties to other federal agencies, and funding pressures on educational institutions.
31. The future of education in the United States under this administration remains uncertain.
32. For updates on these changes, resources can be found at [1], [2], [3], [4], and [5].
33. The uncertain future of education highlights the need for vigilance, advocacy, and debate among stakeholders in the United States.

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