Executive order targets Education Department as Congress holds sole authority

President Trump signed Executive OrderExecutive OrderA written directive from the President directing federal agencies to implement or change policy without requiring congressional approval.Key ConceptExecutive OrderA written directive from the President directing federal agencies to implement or change policy without requiring congressional approval.Open conceptBookmark 14242 on March 20, 2025, directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin facilitating the closure of the Department of Education, which Congress established through the Department of Education Organization Act (P.L. 96-88) in 1979.

Trump's Education Department announced mass layoffs on March 11, 2025 — nine days before the executive order — cutting roughly 2,000 of the department's 4,133 employees, including Federal Student Aid staff managing $1.7 trillion in student loans.

The order requires congressional approval to fully eliminate the department, needing 60 Senate votes to overcome filibusters, making complete abolition unlikely despite Republican control.

Title I fundingTitle I FundingFederal grants to schools serving high concentrations of low-income students, the largest source of federal K-12 education aid.Key ConceptTitle I FundingFederal grants to schools serving high concentrations of low-income students, the largest source of federal K-12 education aid.Open conceptBookmark for low-income schools ($18 billion annually) and Pell Grants remain protected while 18 smaller programs face consolidation into a $2 billion block grantBlock GrantFixed federal lump sum to states with fewer restrictions than categorical grants.Key ConceptBlock GrantFixed federal lump sum to states with fewer restrictions than categorical grants.Open conceptBookmark, cutting specialized funding by 60%.

ICE enforcement returned to schools after the order eliminated sensitive locations policies requiring headquarters approval, forcing educators to choose between protecting students and avoiding federal charges.

The executive order ended the Department of Education Organization Act's statutory requirements while claiming the federal education experiment 'plainly failed' despite constitutional education powers belonging to states.

National Assessment of Educational Progress data cited in the order showed 70% of 8th graders below proficient in reading and 72% below proficient in math, though experts note these scores predate current federal policies.