Here's what the Department of Education does, has done

President Donald Trump campaigned on shutting down the Education Department, and this week, dozens of its workers were placed on leave under his order banning DEI programs in government. Now, he is reportedly drafting an executive order to eliminate the department entirely, echoing President Reagan’s 1980s push to reduce its role, according to reports.

Here’s a look at the Department of Education's history, its role, and what we know about Trump’s plans.

What does the Dept. of Education do?

The United States Department of Education was established in 1867 by President Andrew Johnson to gather information and statistics about schools across the country. In 1979, President Jimmy Carter re-established the Dept. of Education as a cabinet-level agency, which began operating in 1980.

At its core, the agency sets policy, administers federal education aid, and helps the president enforce education laws to ensure every student gets the education they need and deserve.

What is DOGE?

The Department has recently faced scrutiny after dozens of employees at the U.S. Education Department were placed on leave following President Donald Trump’s anti-DEI order. It comes as part of efforts to cut programs and federal workers across government departments, led by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE).

(Original Caption) Washington, D.C.: President Reagan (C) sings a executive order creating a Presidential Council on Integrity and Efficiency to fight fraud and waste in government. Present for the signing are (front row, LTR) Deputy OMB Director Edw

As of Feb. 4, it remains unclear how many workers were affected or why, according to Sheria Smith, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252. 

She noted that most do not work in DEI initiatives and are from various branches, including those handling school funding and civil rights enforcement.

Who is Linda McMahon?

Linda McMahon, former administrator of the US Small Business Administration and US education secretary nominee for US President-elect Donald Trump, arrives for a meeting with Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin, not pictured, on Capitol

Linda McMahon was tapped as Education Secretary, a key figure in Donald Trump’s circle, having previously served in his first administration and supported his campaigns.

In a meeting on Feb. 4, when asked why he would put McMahon in charge of the department only to get rid of it, Trump said, "I want her to put herself out of a job."

The president said he’d like to leave the business of running schools to the states. He said he’d try to dismantle the department with an executive order but said he believed he would need to work with Congress to dissolve the agency.

Unwinding the department would likely require Congress to act.

Trump's anti-DEI executive order explained

What they're saying:

Trump's executive order calls for all Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) staff in the federal government to be put on paid leave and eventually laid off. 

This is part of a broader push against diversity programs that Trump claims are racist. 

He campaigned on shutting down the Education Department, saying it had been overtaken by "radicals, zealots, and Marxists," and argued that its power should be given to states and schools.

DEI in schools

According to The Associated Press, at least 55 Education Department workers were told on Friday they were being placed on paid leave immediately under the order. The email they received clarified that the leave was not for "disciplinary purposes." 

History of the Department of Education

HAMILTON, UNITED STATES: Nine year old Tez Taylor (C) asks US President George W. Bush a question during a bill signing ceremony of the "No Child Left Behind" Act, an education reform bill passed by overwhelming bipartisan majorities in Congress duri

The backstory:

In its early years, the Department's main role was to collect information and statistics about the nation's schools. However, concerns about too much federal control led to the Department being demoted to an Office of Education in 1868.

For many years, the office remained small, operating under various titles under different agencies, including the U.S. Department of the Interior and the former U.S. Department of Health, Education, and Welfare (now Health and Human Services).

In the 1860s, the office had a budget of $15,000 and just four employees focused on education fact-finding. By 1965, the Office of Education grew to more than 2,100 employees with a budget of $1.5 billion. By mid-2010, the Department had nearly 4,300 employees and a budget of about $60 billion.

Timeline:

  • 1950s: Political and social changes led to expanded federal funding for education.
  • 1960s: President Lyndon Johnson's "War on Poverty" launched many programs aimed at improving education for poor students at all levels.
  • 1970s: Federal efforts expanded to support racial minorities, women, people with disabilities, and non-English-speaking students in gaining equal access to education.
  • 1980s: In Oct. 1979, Congress passed the Department of Education Organization Act, and in May 1980, the Department began operations, combining offices from several federal agencies.

Key laws the Education Department enforces

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)

The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law that makes available free, appropriate public education for eligible children with disabilities.

It provides special education services, supports early intervention for infants and toddlers, and awards competitive grants.

Section 504

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ensures that students with disabilities have equal access to education by prohibiting discrimination in programs or activities that receive federal funding from the U.S. Department of Education.

ADA Amendments Act of 2008

The Amendments Act, signed into law in September 2008 and effective January 1, 2009, was created to expand the ADA's definition of disability, following narrow interpretations by the Supreme Court.

The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) has determined that school officials need more guidance on how the 2008 Amendments Act impacts public elementary and secondary education programs.

Title II

The Amendments Act broadens the definition of "disability" in Section 504 and the ADA, meaning more students may now be recognized as having a disability.

 If a student previously wasn't considered to have a disability and didn't receive special education or related services, the school must now evaluate the student under the new standards. If the student is found to have a disability, the district must determine if they need special education or related services.

Here’s an overview of the Department of Education’s history, its role, and its actions under past presidents:

Reagan’s efforts to cut and abolish the Department of Education

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, UNITED STATES - APRIL 1988: US Dept. of Education Secretary William J. Bennett (L) presenting his report on education to President Ronald with Reagan (R) at the White House. (Photo by Cynthia Johnson/Getty Images)

President Trump is not the first president to try and reduce the Department of Education. 

During President Reagan’s administration, he pushed Congress to cut financial aid to college students by $2.3 billion, a 27 percent reduction that would have impacted over 1 million students. 

Reagan also aimed to eliminate the Department of Education, created under President Carter, as part of the 1980 Republican Party platform. The LA Times described it as a "major goal" when Reagan took office in 1981. 

Despite his efforts, Reagan was unable to abolish the department, facing opposition from a Democratic-controlled Congress.

In Jan. 1985, Reagan said, "As you know, I have previously recommended the abolition of the Department of Education. This was because I believed that federal educational programs could be administered effectively without a Cabinet-level agency. While I still feel that this is the best approach, that proposal has received very little support in Congress."

Bush's ‘No Child Left Behind’

WASHINGTON - OCTOBER 5: U.S. President George W. Bush (R) and U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings walk out of the Friendship Public Charter School's Woodridge Elementary and Middle campus October 5, 2006 in Washington, DC. During a sppech

President George W. Bush, alongside First Lady Laura Bush and U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings, made public education reform a priority.

His first major initiative, the No Child Left Behind (NCLB) Act of 2002, aimed to overhaul the American education system.

The law gave states more flexibility in using federal funding, allowing each state to address local needs. NCLB also provided funding for teacher recruitment and training, improved reading instruction, and allowed Title I funds to support supplemental services like tutoring.

Obama's ‘Race to the Top’

FALLS CHURCH, VA - JANUARY 19: (AFP OUT) U.S. President Barack Obama and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan (R) visits with sixth grade students at the Graham Road Elementary School January 19, 2010 in Falls Church, Virginia. Following his meeting wi

President Barack Obama’s education reform agenda addressed challenges left by No Child Left Behind. His administration recognized the need for changes and sent a Blueprint for Reform of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act to Congress in March 2010, aimed at improving the law and closing achievement gaps.

In 2009, Obama and Education Secretary Arne Duncan launched Race to the Top, a $4.35 billion competitive grant program funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act. The program encouraged states to adopt reforms in areas like teacher effectiveness and student performance. While it received praise, critics argued that it pressured states to conform to the administration’s vision.

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