The Trump Administration has started banding together an executive order that would dismantle the Department of Education (ED) and possibly move its funding elsewhere. This comes as another of Elon Musk’s efforts to enhance “government efficiency.”
Deconstructing the ED is one of the most irrational ideas the Trump Administration has expressed their desire for. Students of minorities, financially disadvantaged students and college students are going to be affected the most if this legislation were to be passed.
The ED is an area of the federal government founded by the 39th president, Jimmy Carter, in 1979. It is responsible for funding public schools, managing student and college financial loans, researching data on schools to work towards better improving them, protecting laws against discrimination in school communities and providing education rights to students with learning disabilities or special needs.
College students who receive financial aid and take out loans have access to that money because of the funding from the ED. With college being so expensive for the average family, people rely on financial aid and student loans to be able to pay for their college education. According to the Education Data Initiative in 2024 a total of 42.7 million students across the country use student loans and 87.3% of college students benefit from financial aid. Without these aids for students, college will be more difficult to pay for than ever.
Title 1 funding is a federal program funded by the ED founded in 1965 when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Title 1 provides financial help for students from low-income homes or communities. It helps students, families, and the school district by providing the money to provide a stable education for these students. Around 43% of public schools in the country are qualified for Title 1 according to MDR Education. Without the ED, the funding for this program would be cut, negatively impacting students in need of its benefits.
Everyone has the right to education and everyone should be able to get the services they need to be able to learn. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a law created to corroborate that students with disabilities can receive free and personal public education that is specialized for their needs. The ED funds this act, ensuring that students who have disabilities and need extra support can learn while being cost-free. Around 15% of students in public schools in this country use IDEA services. Without this act, students with disabilities would not get the special education they need to learn and thrive in a school setting.
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in education is a sub-agency of the ED. OCR ensures Federal civil rights laws in school districts, meaning it prohibits discrimination against race, gender, sexuality and nationality. This makes sure of equal access to learning for every student. The protection over minority students’ rights would be taken away and acts of discrimination can go unrecognized and uninvestigated. School is supposed to be a safe place for learning, disposing of these rights creates an insecure environment for these students.
Although it’s not an easy law to pass to completely dismantle the ED, doing so would be detrimental to individuals and their education. Slashing it would be a direct target for minority and low-income students, stealing resources from the most vulnerable learners.
