Education

President Donald Trump has pushed for the drastic reduction or elimination of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), a move aligned with his campaign promise to reduce government size and shift more control of education to states. While Trump lacks the authority to unilaterally dismantle the agency, he has directed his administration to cut spending and pressure employees to leave. A planned executive order would initiate the winding down of the DOE, urging Congress to pass legislation to abolish it. This proposal has sparked concerns about the impact on public schools and student loans, especially in states like Virginia, where many residents rely on federal funding for education.

In Virginia, the elimination of the DOE could result in significant challenges. The federal government provides about 12.1% of funding for public schools in the state, and a reduction in this funding could disproportionately hurt states with higher numbers of lower-income students, who depend on Title I funding. Public school advocates warn that dismantling the DOE would drain resources from vulnerable students, increase class sizes, reduce special education services, and strip student civil rights protections. Additionally, the DOE manages the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio, affecting over 1 million borrowers in Virginia. If the DOE were abolished, the responsibility for managing student loans could shift to other agencies, such as the Treasury Department, or even lead to privatization, raising concerns about borrowers' repayment options. Despite these challenges, Trump’s proposal faces skepticism, as some Republicans question its feasibility, given that many DOE programs are mandated by federal law.