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Linda McMahon, nominated by President Trump for the role of education secretary, is scheduled to testify before Congress for her confirmation hearing on Thursday.
This nomination comes in the context of Trump’s stated intention to eliminate the Department of Education altogether.
The Department plays a crucial role in managing federal grants, student loans, and ensuring civil rights are upheld within educational settings.
Consider the scenario where you are interviewing for a new position as head of a department that is actively discussed to be disbanded.
This analogy reflects McMahon’s situation as she prepares to assume leadership of a department that Trump aims to close. Her role would encompass responsibilities related to school oversight, student data collection, and administration of the federal student aid system. Trump’s initiatives to eliminate the department were made clearer preceding her confirmation session.
On February 4, Trump expressed to reporters his hopes for McMahon to effectively “put herself out of a job,” indicating his desire for her to render the department unnecessary.
Reiterating his stance on February 12, Trump reiterated his aim to close the Department of Education “immediately,” labeling it a “big con job.”
During the announcement of McMahon’s nomination in November, Trump emphasized his goal for her to “send Education BACK TO THE STATES.” This reflects a growing notion among some Republicans, suggesting that education should be managed at local levels without federal oversight.
Additionally, Trump has been proactive in signing an executive order to promote “patriotic education” within public schools, seeking to eliminate educational ideologies he deems misaligned with his administration’s philosophy. However, the Department of Education does not determine curriculum on a classroom level.
Notably, dismantling a federal department requires Congressional approval. Despite some Republican lawmakers proposing legislation to eliminate the Department of Education, sufficient support for such measures has not materialized yet. Meanwhile, Trump has initiated cuts and staff reductions within various federal agencies, aiming to streamline their functions, similar to recent actions taken with the US Agency for International Development.
Here are several vital responsibilities of the Department of Education that would be significantly affected if it were to cease operations.
Administration of Grants and Student Loans
One of the Department of Education’s main functions is managing the expansive $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio. More than 40 million borrowers hold federal loans, and the department’s Federal Student Aid office collaborates with student-loan servicers to oversee repayment processes.
FSA also handles a variety of student-loan relief initiatives, including the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Furthermore, it develops the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually for students and administers Pell Grants to support low- and middle-income college enrollees.
Additionally, the department allocates significant grants to public schools, such as Title I funding, which benefits school districts in economically disadvantaged areas, as well as resources for districts catering to students with disabilities.
Some Republican lawmakers have previously proposed that the Treasury Department be tasked with managing these programs, suggesting that such a transfer would require considerable effort, according to education policy experts.
Data Collection on Student Performance
The research division within the Department of Education plays a crucial role in data collection to track essential student performance metrics, including math and reading literacy scores. Recent assessments via the National Assessment of Education Progress indicate a continued decline in students’ reading skills.
Nat Malkus, a senior fellow and deputy director of education policy at the American Enterprise Institute, previously noted that without the Department of Education, tracking students’ proficiency levels would be severely limited.
The Institute of Education Sciences, which operates as a nonpartisan entity within the department, funds essential research on a variety of education-related matters, including teacher effectiveness, educational strategies, and reform initiatives at multiple education levels.
State-level educational agencies gather necessary data based on federal requirements, while the Department of Education maintains oversight of overall national educational trends and provides financial support for data collection activities.
Oversight of Educational Institutions
The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights is in charge of addressing discrimination allegations within K-12 schools and colleges. Recently, the office resolved a complaint related to anti-Palestinian discrimination at a college.
As per the department’s fiscal reports documents, the Office for Civil Rights received over 22,000 complaints during FY 2024, primarily relating to sex and disability discrimination. It forecasts over 23,000 complaints for FY 2025.
While the methods Trump may utilize to achieve his goals of dismantling the Department of Education remain uncertain, some Republican legislators have voiced opinions on reallocating the department’s functions to other agencies, such as the Treasury Department assuming oversight of grants and loans.
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