Since his re-election in 2025, President Donald Trump has pursued a sweeping overhaul of the federal education system, centered on dismantling the U.S. Department of Education. In a landmark executive order signed in March 2025, Trump directed the Secretary of Education to facilitate the closure of the department and return authority over education to the states and local communities.
The Department of Education workforce has been significantly reduced through buyouts and layoffs, shrinking the agency to about half its size. The administration has transferred key responsibilities, such as student financial aid disbursement, to agencies like the Small Business Administration, while special needs and nutrition programs are now managed by the Department of Health and Human Services.
Trump’s education policy changes also include efforts to curb what the administration perceives as left-wing bias and antisemitism on college campuses. This has led to freezes on federal funding to universities like Columbia and Harvard and demands for curriculum and admissions policy changes that critics call authoritarian overreach.
The administration’s drive to reshape education policy has drawn intense debate, with supporters viewing it as empowering parents and states, while opponents warn that it undermines protections for vulnerable students and threatens educational equity.
As the federal government retreats from education oversight, states and localities face increasing responsibility and challenges in funding and managing schools. The full impact of Trump’s education reforms will unfold in the coming years amid ongoing legal battles and policy shifts.