President Donald Trump will sign an executive order Thursday to purportedly dismantle the Department of Education after weeks of cutting its staff and funding. While completely eliminating a federal department formed by an act of Congress requires congressional approval, which is far from certain, Trump has not been shy about defying constitutional checks on presidential power.
The pending order directs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, a former WWE executive, to take "all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the States," while also ensuring "uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely," according to a White House summary of the order.
"President Trump's executive order to expand educational opportunities will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students," White House spokesperson Harrison Fields said in a statement Wednesday.
The order's signing will be marked by a ceremony in the White House's East Room, which will be attended by several Republican governors, including Ron DeSantis of Florida, Glenn Youngkin of Virginia, Greg Abbott of Texas, Kim Reynolds of Iowa and Mike DeWine of Ohio. Republican lawmakers and leaders from groups like the Heritage Foundation and Moms for Liberty, a group seeking to remake schools in a reactionary image, will also be present to celebrate the death of a department that has long been a target of conservative activists.
Hours after McMahon was confirmed as education secretary, she issued a memo with the subject line: "Our Department's Final Mission." The memo said that "this is our opportunity to perform one final, unforgettable public service to future generations of students," which would supposedly leave "American education freer, stronger, and with more hope for the future."
Trump administration officials have said that student loans, Title I, which provides funding for low-income families, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will not be affected. It's unclear, however, to which federal department these programs will be outsourced and how effective they will be in helping high-need students if the Department of Education no longer exists.
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