Trump Moves to Abolish U.S. Department of Education, Citing Poor Results and Rising Costs

U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, arguing that decades of increased federal spending have failed to improve student performance. Trump emphasized a return of educational control to individual states, asserting they are better equipped to meet local needs.

The decision comes amid declining academic achievement. Trump cited a 245% rise in per-pupil spending since the department’s creation in 1979, yet test scores for 13-year-olds in math and reading are now at their lowest in decades. Most fourth and eighth graders continue to struggle with proficiency, and standardized scores have remained stagnant.

Trump also noted that U.S. students rank 28th in math among 37 OECD countries, pointing to what he described as a bloated, inefficient federal education system. “We are going to be returning education very simply back to the states where it belongs,” he said, calling the move “a commonsense thing to do.”

Despite the department’s planned closure, essential programs such as Pell Grants, Title 1 funding, and resources for children with disabilities will remain intact and be transferred to other agencies.

Trump stressed his administration's commitment to educators, saying, “Teachers, to me, are among the most important people in this country — and we’re going to take care of our teachers.”

The executive order marks a major policy shift aimed at decentralizing education in the U.S., promoting state-level solutions, and increasing educational freedom and opportunity. The move is expected to spark debate as the future of national education policy enters a new phase.