Today, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to direct Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin taking steps to close the U.S. Department of Education (USED). The executive order’s directive to “ensure the effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely” would be impossible without full staffing and funding for the Department’s experts. The Trump Administration’s efforts to weaken or dismantle USED raise legal and policy concerns as only an act of Congress can completely dissolve the Department. In response, New Jersey Policy Perspective (NJPP) released the following statement:
Mark Weber, Special Analyst for Education Policy, NJPP:
“Any weakening of USED would have far-reaching and long-term disastrous effects nationwide and on New Jersey’s communities, especially for children in school districts with historically higher concentrations of poverty. Even if Congress chose to eliminate USED, much of its work would have to be offloaded to other departments or agencies, undermining efforts to improve efficiency and reduce spending.
“This latest executive order is an illegal attempt to realize a far-right goal outlined in Project 2025 — and ultimately, it is the first step toward dismantling public education as a whole. However, New Jersey’s schools are among the best in the nation and its residents are strong believers in public schools and college access. Once again, the president demonstrates he is severely out of touch with the values that make the Garden State great.”
Read NJPP’s latest analysis on the federal administration’s efforts to dismantle USED.
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