Secretary Linda McMahon repeated her pledge over the weekend that outward-facing programs such as those of students with disabilities will not be disrupted as the Trump administration moves to shutter the Department of Education.
In an interview on CNN’s Face the Nation Sunday, McMahon said funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act will likely be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services while the Small Business Administration will manage student loans.
She and President Donald Trump believe those programs will operate more efficiently outside the bureaucracy of the Department of Education. “It’s unacceptable where education is in our country today,” she said.
More from DA: Trump orders elimination of Department of Education; shifts ‘core functions’
“The Department of Education does not educate one child, it does not establish any curriculum in any state, it doesn’t hire teachers, it doesn’t establish programs,” McMahon asserted. “We want to make sure that that funding continues in departments where it needs to be but at the same time give states the opportunity to be innovative and creative with their teaching.”
While the goal is to eliminate red tape and regulations, she vowed IDEA funding would be protected and that Title I block grants would give states total control over spending. She envisioned states using funding to hire more teachers and increase salaries.
McMahon also brushed aside concerns that eliminating the department would interfere with all students’ access to education. “The president wants to make sure there’s equal access to quality education for every student in the country, which is why he’s such a prominent supporter of school choice,” she noted.
Executive order: Red tape or guardrails?
Shortly after Trump signed an executive order shuttering ED on Thursday, Gov. Glenn Youngkin of Virginia said his state is “ready to take full responsibility for K12 education.”
Youngkin, a Republican, praised the order—also known as the “EO”—for ending discrimination in classrooms. The order requires recipients of federal education funding to follow civil rights laws and ends taxpayer support for DEI and institutions that set policy based on race or sex.
Virginia Secretary of Education Aimee Rogstad Guidera added that the order makes state officials more accountable to families.
“The President’s Executive Order ensures that federal dollars will arrive in Virginia with less red tape and bureaucracy and allow the State Board of Education, Virginia Department of Education, and local school divisions to invest those resources in the most efficient and effective ways that lead to the ultimate goal of improving student outcomes,” Guidera contended.
But EdTrust, the equity advocacy organization, warned that closing the Department of Education will “destroy the guardrails that have long served to open up educational opportunities for all students—particularly students of color, students from low-income backgrounds, students with disabilities and multilingual learners.”
With the agency’s regulations, state leaders might use education block grants to fill budget holes rather than spending the money on the students who need the most support. Funds could also go to expanding voucher programs that enrich “unaccountable private schools that don’t have to serve all students, and don’t improve outcomes for the students they do accept.”
‘Reforms are needed’
Frederik Hess, director of the right-leaning AEI Education think tank, posted on X that downsizing the Department is sensible as long as the move delivers the promised results.
Hess acknowledged that since law requires the Department of Education to administer programs such as IDEA and student loans, trying to shift those responsibilities to other departments will likely result in lawsuits against the administration.
“None of what’s been proposed involves cuts to funding for major programs (like Title I, IDEA, or Pell),” Hess wrote. “The only cuts are to federal staff and organizational boxes. That means the claims about how much all this matters for students are grossly exaggerated.”
Hess isn’t convinced the actions taken by the administration so far will alleviate regulatory burdens on state governments. “If you really want to empower states, we need to not just cut staff or abolish ED but repeal rules, revamp requirements, issue waivers or overhaul legislation,” he added. “Otherwise, all the accumulated red tape actually remains, whether it’s supervised by ED or someone else.”
Amy Loyd, CEO of All4Ed, called the executive order a “dangerous political stunt” that would destabilize the U.S. education system and rob vulnerable students of critical resources.
“Let’s be clear: When Trump and his allies claim they are giving back education to the states, it’s nothing more than a political talking point,” said Loyd, whose organization works to expand access to marginalized students. “The reality is that states already control their education systems.”
Loyd asserted that the administration’s actions are already harming rural communities, schools with the greatest need, and students pursuing college and career pathways, “jeopardizing our nation’s future.”
“We agree that reforms are needed, but dismantling the department is not the answer,” she concluded. “Rather than taking a scalpel to make thoughtful improvements, this approach swings a chainsaw recklessly, cutting essential support that millions of students rely on.”
