Since its creation in 1979, the U.S Department of Education (DOE) has been a hot topic in political spheres. Many Republicans claim that it’s been used as a tool to progress political agenda rather than actually helping the education system.  In the words of President Donald Trump, the organization is “indoctrinating children” with leftist liberal ideologies. The president  declared that its dissolution would help America’s global rank in education and promised an executive order to abolish it along with the newly created Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) brazenly announcing that they are looking to cut hundreds of millions of dollars in funding or fully abolish it all together. But what does the Department of Education actually do? What would it mean for students and teachers alike to get rid of it? Does the DOGE or president have the authority to take down such an integral part of the government and education system?

What Does the Department of Education Actually Do?

Well, on the actual government website they have listed their number one goal, “to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access”. This has proven true through initiatives like the ‘No Child Left Behind Act’ (NCLB) . NCLB requires students to be tested at a proficient level from grades three to 12, but this act also threatened schools with children from minority groups (and children with mental disabilities) that had severely lower scores to make a change. The current administration has already begun getting rid of equal opportunity legislation, meaning that prejudice could directly affect your education and your chances of getting into college.

Another major purpose of the organization is student loans. The responsibility of federal student loans solely relies upon the Department of Education. If actions are taken to defund or dismantle the organization, it would delay or disrupt access to money that students need in order to stay enrolled. It would also mean loans could be left up to private lenders and students that haven’t joined the labor force would not be able to get a loan from a bank with non-existent credit.

The Department of Education also monitors how money is used in for-profit colleges and universities. Protecting students from potentially being scammed and preventing universities from using money in unproductive ways. Without it the door would be open for fraudsters to directly target young people and students.  

DOE administers Congress appropriated funds to K-12 schools in order to ensure the education of children from low-income families and disabled students. This fund is about an annual 28 billion dollars, which makes a huge difference in the lives of families. The significant amount of money means that many schools would not be able to make up for it with the little funding they already have, leaving many children severely disadvantaged.

DOE doesn’t only help students, but educators as well. They do this through opening routes for career development for new teachers, opening alternative ways of acquiring a teacher certification by giving grants to states, creating the Teacher Incentive Fund that encourages educators to integrate performance based learning into their lesson plans, along with many other initiatives that improve teachers quality of life and quality of education.

Most importantly, the DOE was made to look out for students and educators . If their responsibilities get transferred to other parties, it would undoubtedly make school life more difficult for all parties.

Does the DOGE or President Have the Authority to Take Down the Department of Education?

No, the executive branch does not have the jurisdiction to get rid of any federal department, including the recently destroyed United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which provided crucial help to people around the world in crisis. All government departments require a vote to actually be taken down but this hasn’t stopped anyone, over 10,000 federal workers have been fired during the DOGE rampage.

What Can You Do to Help?

A very easy and impactful way for minors to prevent this from happening is to contact local elected officials and call them to take action, try to educate others and talk with your vote if you can.