Today the Trump administration continued in its attempts to break up the United States Department of Education and ship the pieces to various other federal agencies. The news was first reported on by the Washington Post. In a press release the Department claimed the changes will lead to increased efficiency and reduced bureaucracy. Most education advocates decried the changes as a waste of time and money that would harm students and families.
The Trump administration has previously said it wants to eliminate the Department of Education. President Trump signed an executive order in March directing Linda McMahon, the Secretary of Education, to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education.”
Only Congress has the authority to eliminate a federal agency.
How Is The Trump Administration Trying To Eliminate The Department Of Education?
Today’s announcement listed six Department of Education offices and
areas of work that will move to other agencies, including The Office of Elementary and the
Office of Postsecondary Education.
In its talking points about closing the Department, the Trump administration has consistently said it wants to return education to the states. But states and local communities already control most issues in K-12 education, making the higher education changes announced today highly consequential.
What Are Higher Education Leaders Saying About Trump Dismantling The Department of Education?
Administration representatives applauded the changes. “The Trump Administration is taking bold action to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.”
Presently, all the programs being moved will still be run by federal agencies, none of the changes appear to move control over particular programs to the states.
In contrast to the administration’s comments, higher education leaders from outside the administration met the news with concern, and suggestions that moving the impacted programs to other agencies might be illegal.
“The Trump administration’s latest attempt to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (ED) is lawless, wasteful, and bad for students,” said Kevin Carey, Vice President of Education and Work Programs at New America, a DC based non-partisan public policy think tank.
“The Trump administration’s continued dismantling of the Department of Education is an enormous waste of taxpayer money, another example of evading congressional authority, and a grave disservice to millions of students and families,” said Ted Mitchell, President of the American Council on Education, a membership association that represents a range of higher education institutions and organizations.
Is Dismantling The Department of Education Popular With Americans?
Polling shows that most voters oppose dismantling the Department of Education, even Republican voters.
National polling data released earlier this year showed that 55% of Americans oppose eliminating the Department of Education, while only 26% support the idea. Similarly, when asked if they supported moving financial aid programs to another federal agency that does not have experience running financial aid programs, 62% opposed the idea.
The data comes from a nationally representative poll conducted by New America in February this year.
Other public opinion research shows that Republican voters overwhelmingly support strengthening rather than weakening the Department of Education.
A poll of Republican voters only, also conducted in February, showed that Republican voters want improvements in higher education, including greater accountability for colleges that receive federal funding—a core function of the Department of Education.
That polling was conducted by Third Way, a center-left DC based thinking tank. The poll was conducted with 500 likely Republican voters in early February, asking them about their support for higher education and its value.
What Does The Office of Postsecondary Education Do?
The Office of Post Secondary Education’s main functions are to promote and increase access to higher education, and support colleges and universities as they try to increase student graduation rates. OPE also runs a variety of grant programs aimed at helping low-income and first-generation students succeed in college. It is unclear whether DOL has the expertise to effectively fulfill manage those functions, or if ED staff will move to DOL to run programs currently administered by ED.
Is It Legal for The Trump Administration to Dismantle The Department of Education?
The Department of Education was created by an act of Congress. Closing the agency would also require an act of Congress.
The Trump administration appears to be trying to get around congressional authority by setting up what are known as inter-agency agreements. These are agreements where a different federal agency can manage the work that congress has assigned to the Department of Education. The agreements could be a tacit acknowledgement that the administration cannot simply close the Department’s doors and stop its work.
The Department’s fact sheet on the agreement between it and DOL, noted that it will meet “all statutory responsibilities and will continue its oversight of these programs.” Given that the Department of Education is legally required to run the programs it is handing off to other agencies.
But, by shifting programs to other agencies, it is likely to complicate the running of services and intended to support students and educators around the country.
Will Dismantling The Department of Education Save Taxpayers Money?
The changes announced today do not seem likely to save taxpayers any money.
Detailed agreements between the Department of Education and the agencies tasked with providing ED with assistance were leaked online. The agreements make it clear that ED will pay for the services being provided by other agencies, using funds congress has earmarked for those programs.
The agreements also suggests that ED will remain responsible for a considerable proportion of the work required, as well as paying for assistance from other agencies, suggesting that this latest effort to dismantle the Department of Education will add more bureaucracy than it cuts.