Amid educators’ concerns about how the government shutdown is impacting K12 schools, the Trump administration says schools don’t need the Department of Education.
Last week, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon posted on social media that the government shutdown “has forced agencies to evaluate what federal responsibilities are truly critical,” including the Education Department.
The Democrat government shutdown has forced agencies to evaluate what federal responsibilities are truly critical for the American people. Two weeks in, millions of American students are still going to school, teachers are getting paid, and schools are operating as normal. It…
— Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) October 15, 2025
Her statement reflects the administration’s continuous efforts to dismantle the Education Department, a task President Trump assigned to McMahon when she was appointed earlier this year.
In an executive order released in March, Trump delegated McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over educaiton to the States and local communities.”
Trump also reminded public schools in the executive order that federal funding is subject to “rigorous compliance” with federal law, targeting schools that fail to adhere to the administration’s ban on diversity, equity and inclusion policies, among others.
Tracking McMahon’s progress
The drawing out of the government shutdown is only fueling the Trump administration’s goal to close the Education Department. Just last week, mass layoffs were announced for those overseeing special education services at the department. Howevery, the layoffs have been temporarily frozen by a federal judge.
Earlier this year, the Trump administration cut the Education Department’s workforce in half.
Jim Blew, who previously served in a senior position at the Education Department during Trump’s first term, told The Washington Post that there’s something “opportunistic” about the administration’s recent actions toward public education.
“These guys have very clear goals,” he told the news outlet. “When you give them an opportunity to achieve them, they go full bore.”
Others worry that such reductions are likely to have negative effects on student outcomes. Although McMahon clarified that no education funding has been impacted by the layoffs, it is “disingenuous” to say that special education services are protected with only a few people left on staff, Denise Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, told USA Today.
“There’s no way they can fulfill their obligations under the new law with such a skeleton crew,” she said. “We can’t even get answers from them.”
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