Trump and Project 2025 are attacking the Department of Education. How might they reshape US schools?

Donald Trump is advocating for the closure of the US Department of Education, stating in recent public gatherings that it should be dissolved in order to "return authority to the states where it is more appropriate".

The concept of getting rid of the education department has become more popular, even though it has been around since it was established by Congress in 1979. Trump also talked about reducing or weakening the department during his campaign in 2016.

Getting rid of it would need Congress to take action, which might be very difficult. However, some of the education goals set by Trump and his supporters could still be achieved through actions taken by the President.

Project 2025, a plan created by the Heritage Foundation for a possible future under a Trump administration, explains how the elimination of the federal education department would happen. Instead, it would become a shell that only collects data and shares information with the states. Lindsey Burke, who wrote the education chapter and heads Heritage's education policy center, describes this vision.

The department's removal is just one of the many objectives outlined in the comprehensive conservative strategy that will guide a potential second term for Trump. Project 2025 aims to privatize education and remove any initiatives focused on LGBTQ+ youth or diversity.

"We have never seen such detailed information in this playbook before," said Weadé James, who holds the role of senior director for K-12 policy at the Center for American Progress. She explained that it could have a significant impact on civil rights, funding for schools, and the advancement of students. Additionally, she mentioned that it could also affect the future of public schools.

James pointed out that the Department of Education is the smallest of all cabinet-level agencies, with just over 4,000 employees. He emphasized the importance of investing in and increasing the capacity of the department to fulfill its intended role.

Burke, the writer of Heritage, said no to an interview. The Heritage Foundation explained that they give advice to the future conservative president but they don't represent any specific candidate or campaign. Trump's team has made it clear that he has his own plans to follow, separate from Project 2025. However, both the former president and the project have similar ideas when it comes to education plans.

At a conference focused on faith and freedom, Trump criticized the education system in the US, pointing out the low rankings and high spending. He suggested that some states could improve without interference from the federal government.

"We will reduce our expenses by fifty percent and not everyone will excel," he stated. "For example, [California governor] Gavin Newsom will not perform well in the education sector, so I am not anticipating much from him. Likewise, there are other individuals who I do not have high expectations for ... However, the majority of states, around 40 out of 50, will see improvements. I am confident that about 30 states will exceed expectations."

Trump shares with voters on his campaign website some strategies he would use to handle education.

Stop giving money from the government to schools that are teaching "critical race theory" or gender ideas to our kids and start looking into them for violating civil rights laws by discriminating based on race.

Stop allowing trans youth to participate in sports.

Develop a program that will officially recognize educators who uphold patriotic beliefs.

Recognize school districts that eliminate teacher job protections.

Follow the guidelines and principles in a parents' bill of rights.

Introduce a system where parents can directly vote for school principals.

School Funding Has Been Significantly Altered

In the US, state and local governments are responsible for funding and monitoring education. However, the federal government also provides funding and establishes policies that are enforced at the local level.

Currently, schools are given federal funding for particular purposes, such as helping students from low-income backgrounds or students with disabilities. States are responsible for putting these programs into action, sometimes by hiring individuals to make sure they are following the rules set by the federal government.

Project 2025 suggests different methods for states to take charge of programs currently funded and managed by the federal government. Instead of specifying how money should be used, it simply states that states should be provided with funds to use however they see fit for education purposes as defined by state law.

Many people have concerns about these block grants. States may not have enough money when they are given a fixed amount rather than funds tailored to their specific needs.

The plan suggests gradually ending a key program, Title I, within a decade. This program, which provides $18 billion in funding, assists students from low-income backgrounds. The project recommends that states take on more responsibility for determining how to ensure that children from low-income families receive a quality education.

"Getting rid of that will be very harmful to those students who are already at risk for many different reasons," James explained.

The Heritage Foundation is pushing to end Head Start, a program that provides early childhood education funding for low-income families, citing concerns of scandal and misuse. The Center for American Progress argues in a recent report that cutting Head Start would limit childcare access and raise costs, negatively impacting economic security.

In addition to these significant funding adjustments, the project – and Trump – are both advocating for the expansion of school choice. This includes voucher programs that would enable students to use the money that would have paid for their education in public schools to instead attend private ones. Trump has expressed his support for universal school choice, allowing any student to use taxpayer funds to attend the school of their choice. Trump has also provided a video on his campaign website discussing his plans to aid home-schooling families.

"What about the students who will continue to attend public schools?" James asked. "We should shift our messaging to emphasize investing in public schools, instead of supporting vouchers that deplete public school resources."

The project mentions Arizona's decision to offer vouchers to all students as an example, but this program has faced a lot of criticism, especially regarding its expenses.

Challenges Faced By LGBTQ+ And Diversity

Discriminatory rules against LGBTQ+ individuals and lack of support for diversity can be found in the education proposals of Project 2025 and in Trump's agenda. The project also backs the idea of implementing a parents' bill of rights, which would grant parents greater control over classroom content.

The plan suggests removing ideas about gender and race from education programs, such as including options for gender identity in data collection or allowing transgender youth to play on sports teams that match their gender. It also requests that parents give permission for names or pronouns different from those on official documents to be used. Additionally, it aims to eliminate safeguards against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.

The Project 2025 proposal advises that the federal government implement anti-LGBTQ+ policies in schools under its jurisdiction in order to serve as a model for state and local officials.

The blog points out examples of what the project refers to as "critical race theory" that they believe should be removed. These examples include mandatory affinity groups, teacher training programs that require them to admit their privilege, and assignments where students have to argue that America is inherently racist. These activities are seen as undermining important values like equality and treating everyone equally regardless of their race.

The project is also seeking for the Department of Education to collect information and provide updates on programs or grants that promote "DEI/CRT/gender ideology", the impact of "family structure" on student success, the allocation of pandemic relief funds, and the portion of federal grant money that directly benefits classrooms.

Trump frequently talks about diversity and LGBTQ+ issues in schools during his rallies.

During the religious gathering, he promised to immediately implement a mandate to stop government funding for schools promoting concepts like critical race theory, transgender issues, madness, and other inappropriate topics related to race, sexuality, or politics targeted at children.