The recent Supreme Court decision has opened the door for the Trump administration to proceed with its controversial plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. This move raises questions about the future impact on educational institutions, students, and their families across the nation.
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This significant development follows a Supreme Court ruling that permits the layoff of nearly 1,400 employees from the U.S. Department of Education, a decision that overturns a lower court’s ruling. The conservative judges did not provide a rationale for their decision, but it effectively allows the layoffs to commence. NPR’s Sequoia Carrillo explores the potential consequences of this action.
SEQUOIA CARRILLO, BYLINE: Since its inception in 1979, the U.S. Department of Education has faced calls from some Republican lawmakers for its abolition.
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PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: People have wanted to do this for many, many years, for many, many decades. And I don’t know, no president ever got around to doing it, but I’m getting around to doing it. So thank you very much.
CARRILLO: President Trump highlighted this historical context while signing an executive order to eliminate the department earlier this year. His sentiments echo those of then-candidate Ronald Reagan in a 1980 PBS broadcast.
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RONALD REAGAN: I would like to dissolve the $10 billion National Department of Education created by President Carter and turn schools back to the local school districts, where we built the greatest public school system the world has ever seen.
CARRILLO: The push to transfer power back to states is a frequent political theme, yet the Department of Education has never been responsible for curriculum decisions in schools. As the department faces potential closure, questions arise regarding its actual functions. Despite its relatively small size, the department undertakes significant responsibilities.
KERI RODRIGUES: The Department of Education isn’t some wasteful bureaucracy.
CARRILLO: Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, expresses concern about who will take over these roles.
RODRIGUES: It’s how students access financial aid. It’s how civil rights are protected in schools. It’s how students with disabilities get the services they’re legally entitled to receive.
CARRILLO: Additionally, the department manages Title I funds designated for low-income students and monitors student achievement through national test scores, as well as college graduation and admissions data. In 2024, the department employed over 4,000 people. However, with forthcoming layoffs, along with retirements and resignations, it could see its workforce halved compared to last year. While the exact impact on schools remains uncertain, an NPR investigation indicates that the Office for Federal Student Aid, the Office for Civil Rights, and education research teams are the most affected areas.
Whether President Trump’s actions to dismantle the department are legal is still under consideration in lower courts. Nonetheless, the Supreme Court’s decision is a significant setback for states and school districts concerned that the department may become irreparable before a final verdict is reached.
Sequoia Carrillo, NPR News.
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