By Abigail Kim

President-elect Donald Trump made many promises of what he would do once he got back into office, including closing the Department of Education. This has been a goal of the Republican party ever since 1979 under their argument that the department was unnecessary, ineffective. Currently, they argue that it is a tool to wage a war against the “woke” youth culture. 

He wants to return the responsibility of education back to the states. Education has always been the responsibility of state and local governments. Accounting for 90% of funding and policy, the state and local government already control much of their respective education systems. The Department of Education doesn’t have set rules in terms of curriculum or regulations in terms of school policies that need to be implemented. 

It is impossible for Trump to get rid of the Department of Education by himself. The government requires both congressional approval and a majority vote within the Senate. However, given that the Republicans have taken control of the House and Senate, it isn’t out of the question. But what does this mean for us as students? 

President Jimmy Carter created the Department of Education as a separate, Cabinet-level agency in 1980 to make educational issues a top priority and give local communities more jurisdiction over how to oversee their schools. The ED’s main goals are to promote student achievement, improve the quality of education, and ensure equal access to education. In addition to overseeing national education policy and funding, they administer federal financial aid, collect data on schools to improve education quality, enforce federal education laws, and work to enhance public school performance and teacher training. 

The ED’s most important role is its ability to administer federal grants and enforce civil rights laws. Some significant programs include the $18.4 billion Title 1 program which gives funding to high-poverty K-12 schools, the $15.5 billion program which helps to lessen the cost of education for students with disabilities, and the $1.6 trillion federal student loan program. The agency also prevents discrimination within federally funded schools based on race, sex, or socioeconomic factors. 

In eliminating the Department of Education, students who rely on federal support for access to education would be left vulnerable. We would lose federal funding for our schools and programs, making it harder for schools to provide quality education and widening the gap between schools in wealthier and poorer areas. 

A lack of anti-discrimination laws would increase inequality within schools, preventing students from equal educational opportunities and causing a significant rise in inequality within schools. The financial aid that many of us rely on to go to college would also disappear. The ED oversees federal student loans and grants such as Pell Grants and FAFSA which helps make college more affordable for low-income students. Getting rid of the ED would make it less affordable and accessible for the many students who depend on these programs to continue their educational pursuits. 

States would need to fill the gaps that getting rid of the ED would leave behind, but lack of funding makes it harder for them to give the same level of services and protections. Ultimately, getting rid of the Department of Education could mean many bad things in terms of our education as students and it is important for us to protect it.