What does the US education department do - and can Trump truly dismantle it?

July 15, 2025

President Donald Trump is moving closer to his goal of dismantling the Department of Education after the Supreme Court ruled that his administration could proceed with laying off half the department's workforce. The conservative-majority court voted 6-3 to overturn a lower court's block on the firings, with Trump calling this a "major victory" for parents and students. Trump's administration has accused the department of indoctrinating young people with ideological content, though completely eliminating the agency would likely require congressional approval.

Who is affected

Department of Education employees, particularly the roughly 1,000 workers facing layoffs
The 40+ million Americans with student loans totaling more than $1.5 trillion
Low-income students who receive Pell grants
Students with disabilities and those living in poverty who benefit from department-funded programs
Students protected by civil rights enforcement in federally funded schools
State and local education authorities who would potentially assume transferred responsibilities

What action is being taken

The Trump administration is proceeding with plans to lay off approximately half of the Department of Education's workforce following the Supreme Court's ruling
Education Secretary Linda McMahon is taking steps to facilitate the closure of the agency as directed by Trump's executive order
The administration is attempting to transfer authority over education to state and local governments
Trump is working to move student loan management from the Education Department to other agencies

Why it matters

The Department of Education administers $238 billion in funding (less than 2% of the federal budget) that supports various educational programs
The agency manages over $1.5 trillion in student loans affecting more than 40 million Americans
The department enforces civil rights laws preventing discrimination in federally funded schools
It provides funding for programs supporting students with disabilities and those living in poverty
Republicans and Democrats have fundamentally different views on the department's role, with conservatives preferring education decisions be made at state and local levels

What's next

No explicit next steps stated in the article

Read full article from source: BBC