politicsconservative

Education Department Faces Big Fight Over Its Future

Washington DC, USASunday, March 22, 2026
A year ago, a former president signed an order that told the Education Secretary to start shutting down the department and hand its powers back to states. The goal was to make education more local, a plan that many conservatives have pushed for long time. The secretary said her main job was to “put herself out of a job, ” according to the president’s words. She bragged that they had made huge progress, expanding school choice and giving state leaders more freedom to try new ideas. She also claimed the agency was being broken up by teaming with other federal offices that could run certain programs better. Despite this push, lawmakers sent a bill last year giving the department about $79 billion – almost the same money Congress had already given it. The president signed this bill even though he wanted a 15 % cut, which would have taken away about $67 billion. The bill shows that Congress still controls the budget and could close the department, but actually doing so is hard. A senator re‑introduced a bill in April 2025 that would return the department’s money to states without cutting funding. The proposal has stalled, and many think it will never reach a vote because Congress is struggling to pass any budget changes. Critics say the administration should have acted sooner so that the agency could be shut down smoothly. The push to close the department has grown as Republicans cite frustration with how a previous president handled school closures during COVID‑19 and policies about transgender students, diversity, equity and inclusion. Those who support the move say they want to reduce federal control over education.
Opponents, including teachers’ unions and families who rely on programs like student loans and special‑needs services, argue that the department is essential for equal opportunity. A senator from Maryland warned that attacking public education undermines a core American value. Meanwhile, conservatives have made agreements with other agencies to take over parts of the department’s work. For example, the Labor Department will co‑manage elementary and secondary education offices, while Health and Human Services will handle child‑care grants. These agreements make it easier to dismantle the agency later, because many programs already live elsewhere. The secretary cannot stop federal programs like Title I or the student‑loan system, but she has moved some loan responsibilities to Treasury. This is a major step toward closing the department. Congress still funds the agency, which some say is “appropriate policy” because it protects programs that might otherwise be lost. A lawsuit filed by advocacy groups claims the interagency agreements are unlawful, and a government watchdog is investigating the transfer of grant programs to Labor. The administration has also cut its workforce by half, reducing staff from more than 4, 000 to around 2, 000. However, some positions were reinstated at a cost of tens of millions of dollars in paid leave. If Democrats win the upcoming elections, it is unlikely any bill to shut down the department will pass. If a Democrat becomes president in 2028, they could undo the agreements and bring the agency back under full control. Conservative voices continue to urge Congress to act, saying the people voted for a smaller federal role in education.

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