Apr 01 Executive Order Issued to Dismantle Department of Education

(April 1, 2024)

On March 20, the president signed an executive order instructing the Secretary of Education to begin to take steps to dismantle the Department of Education. This order comes on the heels of another order that reduced the department’s workforce by 50 percent. The executive order is not officially closing the department, which requires 60 votes in the Senate. The order specifically says that the goal is to “return education authority to the states.” To be clear, this has always been the case, since states and localities control curriculum, the vast majority of funding, and are governed by a locally elected school board. The order specifically says that it is not ending funding for programs, but many education advocates are concerned that shifting programs, like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), to other agencies such as Health and Human Services, could have lasting impacts.

What does this mean for schools? It is unclear what the impact will be. The EducationCounsel, a nonprofit education policy organization, has developed a comprehensive summary and brief on the executive order. Additionally, the Committee for Education Funding, a nonprofit education funding advocacy organization, has drafted a letter to the Secretary of Education outlining concerns with the executive order. One thing is clear, this dismantling is not an easy task and is likely to face many legal hurdles. We encourage you to review the resources linked above and to learn more about the federal investment in your school district to understand the potential impact this executive order will have on your community.

Jamie Baxter, Allies for Children Executive Director