Trump’s Executive Order Puts Department of Education’s Future in Jeopardy
President Donald Trump has initiated steps to dismantle the Department of Education (DED), a move that could impact Republican governors’ reelection prospects.
On March 20, Trump issued an executive order mandating Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of shutting down the agency. Although a congressional act is required to completely abolish the DED, the administration aims to render it nonfunctional through extensive layoffs and funding reductions.
The Department of Education plays a crucial role in U.S. education by providing supplemental funding to underserved districts, ensuring every child’s legal right to public education, and distributing Pell Grants and federal loans. While the DED oversees these functions, state and local authorities are responsible for their implementation.
Nevada’s Republican Governor, Joe Lombardo, expressed his support for Trump’s executive order to the Las Vegas Review Journal on Monday but seemed unclear about its potential effects.
“There has been no explanation of how it’s going to be detrimental,” Lombardo stated. “The Department of Education has never educated a kid. The particular items that they are responsible for — that is, the wraparound services and education disbursement to state education (departments) — as far as I can tell, it’s going to continue.”
Nevada schools benefit from nearly $1 billion annually in DED funding. Trump’s directive does not clarify how these financial supports will be sustained. McMahon informed Fox News that other federal agencies would assume these responsibilities, though details remain sparse. The Nevada Independent highlighted on March 21 that some school boards are examining which programs could be eliminated if federal funding is interrupted or halted.
In an op-ed for Breitbart News, Lombardo argued that dismantling the DED would return educational control to the states. However, the DED does not establish or enforce curriculums.
Lombardo’s narrow 2022 election victory by under 15,500 votes places him in a potentially vulnerable position. Nevada Democratic Attorney General Aaron Ford criticized Lombardo’s endorsement of DED budget cuts during a March 21 press conference.
“The fact is Joe Lombardo just sold out Nevada’s kids and their futures,” Ford said. “Our governor put Donald Trump over Nevada. It’s fewer teachers, it’s bigger class sizes and it’s the dismantling of programs for kids with special needs.”
In New Hampshire, Republican Governor Kelly Ayotte has not yet commented on Trump’s order but has historically supported DED reductions. As a U.S. Senator from 2011 to 2017, Ayotte opposed an amendment boosting federal aid for low-income districts and twice voted to cut Pell Grants.
Ayotte, Lombardo, Trump, and McMahon all advocate for school choice, which allows public funding to follow students to any school, including private institutions. Critics argue that this policy diverts funds from public schools to private ones.
NEA New Hampshire, the state’s largest teachers union, has endorsed Ayotte’s 2024 opponent. The union issued a statement on March 20 warning about the potential repercussions of Trump’s executive action.
“President Trump’s extreme actions jeopardize the ability of Granite State students to build bright futures,” the statement said. “If it becomes a reality, Trump’s move will take resources away from our most vulnerable schools and students, eliminate services for students with disabilities, put higher education out of reach for middle class families, and decimate civil rights protections for our students.”
With New Hampshire’s gubernatorial elections scheduled every two years, Ayotte will face reelection in 2026.
A recent Data for Progress Poll reveals that a significant majority of voters across the nation oppose the idea of closing the DED, with a 2-to-1 margin against it.
—
Read More Kitchen Table News
