In September 2023, Donald Trump took to social media and posted his plan for the US education system if he was elected to office. The plan’s defining feature was to eliminate the Department of Education (DOE).

Trump’s remarks are deeply rooted in the Republican belief that the government has used the DOE as a tool for indoctrinating classrooms with “liberal ideologies”. Since winning the presidency in November, he’s promised to “cut federal funding for any school pushing critical race theory, radical gender ideology, and other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children”.

In his first term (2016–20), Trump made budget cuts, but his new administration, with ambitious goals to cut federal funding, could complete the dissolution of the DOE. So far, he has not delved into the details of how he would proceed.

Trump also argues that education should be in the hands of the states, rather than the federal government. Currently, each state has the power to create education policy relating to curriculums, rules and regulations; however, the DOE is able to control national initiatives through their funds.

The DOE, as Americans know today, was founded by Jimmy Carter in 1980. Today, its mission is to ensure “​​equal educational opportunity for every individual”. It funds resources to public primary and secondary schools, spearheading initiatives for students from low-income families, and coordinating federal education programmes – providing higher education financial aid for students through FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

Overall, they are sceptical of the supposed good intent that Trump claims he has when it comes to eliminating the DOE.

One teacher voiced concern for her future students: “You need to have the department to organise schools and make sure that we educate the youth of tomorrow.”

An eleventh grade student (who chose to remain anonymous) believes “it shows how intelligence is not being favoured in America anymore and how we aren’t making it a priority.”

She says Trump’s proposal is a step back for the nation, adding, “We need to hold education and reading to the standards we hold other crises to in our nation, because eventually it’s going to become a problem that we can’t solve in a generation.”

Another student was initially unsure of what the DOE’s purpose was. However, after a little research, he came to the conclusion, “I don’t think it’s necessary [to get rid of the DOE], especially getting rid of financial aid for students.”

This is not the first time Republicans have attempted to get rid of the Department of Education. In 2023, the House voted on a bill to eradicate the department, but it failed to make it through to the Senate as it received only 161 Republican votes and none from Democrats.

If Trump wanted to carry out his plan, he would need to work with Congress to draft a bill and win the majority of votes in both the House and the Senate. As we anticipate the next four years of a new Trump administration, federal changes remain unclear – leaving many Americans nervous for the future of education.