Early Thursday evening, President Donald Trump signed an executive order titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities.” In it, The President ordered current Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities while ensuring the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely.”
This order has gained both praise and disdain from local lawmakers, split between party lines. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va, issued a statement following Trump’s signing of the executive order:
“Everyone knows that economic success in America begins with a good education, whether that be a four-year degree or a stellar K-12 experience and high-quality career and technical programs. President Trump’s executive order to gut the U.S. Department of Education underscores how out of touch he is with students, parents, and educators. This order will have negative impacts on every student and harm our economic growth and competitiveness. It will cut off critical funding for K-12 schools, make it harder for students with disabilities to access educational opportunities, and hinder students’ ability to access higher education and job training. We should be investing more in younger generations, not less, and I will fight to ensure every student—regardless of their zip code—can continue to receive the high-quality education they deserve.”
Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va. issued a statement on X following the signing as well:
“If there’s one thing that should bring us all together, it should be that American kids – no matter their zip code – get a world-class public education. By dismantling the Department of Education, Donald Trump is taking square aim at that goal."
Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin praised The President for the order, welcoming the change:
“Virginia is ready to take full responsibility for K-12 education. We have implemented a high-expectations agenda that sets rigorous standards, holds schools accountable for results and prioritizes resources to the students and schools that need the most support. We welcome the federal government’s shift of responsibility to the states—and we are grateful that President Trump’s executive order does just that. The EO also makes it clear that there will be no discrimination in the classrooms. We will continue to ensure every student graduates career-, college-, or military-ready.”
Gov. Glenn Youngkin
Similarly to Youngkin, U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va, issued a statement on X stating his excitement for the order:
“President Trump’s Executive Order to begin closing the federal education department puts parents and students first by restoring local control over education. The Department of Education has spent too long pushing woke policies instead of focusing on student success. [House Republicans are] working with the President to ensure parents, not Washington, are in charge of their children’s future. Additionally, key responsibilities like enforcing civil rights laws, administering student loans, and funding Title I programs will be moved to cabinet agencies that will do the job more effectively.”
U.S. Rep. Ben Cline, R-Va
Along with his Republican colleagues, U.S. Rep. John McGuire, R-Va, also stated his approval for the closure of the DoE on X:
“Why do homeschool students perform way above the national average on reading, writing, and arithmetic? For far too long, the Department of Education has fueled woke ideology and ignored the basics. I agree with President Trump -- we need to take the necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education. This Executive Order will empower states and parents to make the best decisions for their kids.”
U.S. Rep. John McGuire, R-Va
Reps. McGuire and Cline did not elaborate on the “woke” policies referenced in their statements, as the DoE does not manage school curricula. There is also mixed reception on studies that cite higher scores for homeschooled students. Cara Goodwin, a Parenting Translator with Psychology Today, said “Most do not control for important family demographic factors and compare self-selected homeschooling families’ test scores (from tests proctored by parents) to national averages.”
“Children in a “structured” homeschool program — that is, a homeschool program with organized lesson plans — tend to score higher on academic tests than children from conventional schools, while children in “unstructured” homeschool environments without organized lesson plans tend to score lower than children in conventional schools."
Cara Goodwin, Ph.D.
Not much is certain regarding the initial impacts of the Executive Order. Completely closing the DoE would likely require action from Congress, but McMahon has already downsized the department, as last week it was announced that around 1,300 employees would be laid off.
The DoE largely handles student loans and grants, while public schools only receive about 14% of their budget in federal funding from the department. The DoE’s role is largely fiscal, as they do not develop curricula, set graduation requirements, or determine education standards, according to the department’s website. For more information on what the Department of Education does, click here.
