What Happens If Trump Shuts Down the U.S. Department of Education?

Linda McMahon, the former chief executive of World Wrestling Entertainment, is stepping into a new role as President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee for secretary of education. In this position, she may potentially oversee a significant dismantling of the very department she is set to lead.

Trump has promised to dismantle the Department of Education, a goal that echoes former President Ronald Reagan’s 1980 campaign promises. Reagan, who sought to abolish the department just a year after its establishment, reflected a long-standing Republican desire to eliminate this agency overseeing critical educational initiatives, including Title I funding for low-income schools and protections for students with disabilities.

As an expert in education policy, I recognize the numerous political and practical hurdles associated with shuttering the department. Instead of outright elimination, Republicans may pursue more pragmatic strategies to advance their educational goals while maintaining crucial services.

To better grasp how this proposal aligns with the broader education agenda of the incoming administration, it is essential to reflect on the history and impact of the Department of Education over the last fifty years.

Established in 1979, the Department of Education emerged amidst a backdrop of significant federal involvement in education. The Higher Education Act of 1965 marked the beginning of federal student loans, while the 1972 Basic Educational Opportunity Grant paved the way for the modern Pell Grant system. Previous initiatives, like the G.I. Bill, also contributed to federal engagement in educational funding.

At the K-12 level, federal intervention dates back to the Smith-Hughes Act of 1917, with significant developments like the National Defense Education Act of 1958 focusing on vital subjects such as math and science.

The modern federal role was solidified through pivotal laws during the Lyndon Johnson administration. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 introduced anti-discrimination protections, while the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) of 1965, now reauthorized as the Every Student Succeeds Act, established Title I funding to support schools with high low-income populations.

In 1975, Congress introduced the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act (IDEA), setting critical standards for special education and ensuring students with disabilities have access to appropriate educational opportunities.

Initially, the creation of the Department of Education received bipartisan support, with 14 Republican senators backing the Senate bill. However, within a year, the political landscape shifted dramatically, with Reagan criticizing the department as a “bureaucratic boondoggle” despite its historical context.

The idea of dissolving the Department of Education would require agreement from both houses of Congress, a challenging prospect given recent attempts. An amendment to shut down the department failed in the House in 2023, highlighting the division in party lines.

To effectively terminate the department, proper assignment of its functions across different agencies would be necessary, likely leading to chaotic restructuring. Trump had previously floated the idea of merging the Education Department with the Labor Department.

Additionally, the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025 outlines a plan for repurposing the department’s programs, potentially moving Title I and IDEA to the Department of Health and Human Services, while transferring the Office for Civil Rights to the Justice Department.

Should the department’s programs be reassigned effectively, they might continue to function without immediate disruption. However, other proposed changes, including a federal voucher system as a component of Trump’s educational vision, could significantly reshape the landscape of public education.

As part of the initiative, Project 2025 indicates plans to end the Head Start program and phase out Title I over a decade. Trump’s educational agenda also encompasses a crackdown on funding for schools involved in what he terms “inappropriate” content.

Looking ahead, I anticipate the Trump administration will implement executive orders to directly influence education policies, such as removing protections for transgender students and revising congressional budget allocations for education.

While the overarching goal of closing the Department of Education may be politically contentious, McMahon’s task remains daunting. Navigating these complexities will demand strategic negotiation and consensus-building within a divided Congress.