Among President-elect Donald Trump’s daunting promises for his upcoming term, one stands out as particularly nerve-wracking: closing the Department of Education. Although misinformation surrounding the department’s role in education is fueling unnecessary fear, doing away with it altogether will have serious impacts on the futures of students and educators.
The department states its goal clearly: to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
According to its website, the department and the Secretary of Education work together to spread awareness of educational challenges, inform schools about discoveries surrounding teaching and learning methods and support communities with solutions to educational issues. According to Axios, the department specifically supports students with disabilities, gathers national data on schools to better allocate resources and encourages equity through enforcing civil rights laws.
Dismantling the Department of Education removes this crucial support system from state and local governments, and it silences its voice in the federal government. Outside of the data and resources the department provides, financial support for schools and students themselves is at risk.
In the U.S., education is largely funded by state and local governments. However, according to the Department of Education’s website, the 10% of funds it provides serves as an “emergency response system.” In low-income areas where taxes can’t fulfill the funds needed for education, the federal department works to fill in these gaps across the U.S.
According to Inside Higher Education, “...critics warn that dismantling the Education Department could make it more difficult for students to access federal financial aid, imperil institutions that rely on federal money and make higher education a riskier bet, though that’s a worst-case scenario.” As Pell Grants and federal financial aid through FAFSA have made college more accessible, especially for low-income students, the future of higher education is at risk – undoing progress made by the Department of Education.
According to the Washington Post, Trump’s plan to disband the department is largely due to social issues. “Specifically, Trump has criticized the department’s work under Democrats to promote racial equity and protect rights of transgender students, much of it through enforcement of civil rights law. The agency, for instance, has said sex discrimination includes discrimination based on gender identity,” the article said.
Although he also has a distaste for President Joe Biden’s student loan forgiveness plans, Trump’s motivation for doing away with the department is based on inequity. Trump’s pledge would require a supermajority vote in the Senate, and even with Republican control, garnering 60 Senators to agree on a controversial policy is unlikely but possible.
The Department of Education supports educators and students by means of data, resources and financial support. Dismantling the critical department from the federal government would nearly destroy an already struggling sector.
Layne Rey is a junior studying journalism at Ohio University. Please note that the views and opinions of the columnist do not reflect those of The Post. What are your thoughts? Let Layne know by tweeting her @laynerey12.
