As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House for a second term, questions emerge about the future of various government agencies at the start of his new administration.
One of these agencies, the Department of Education, became a target throughout Trump’s campaign with promises to ‘disband’ the department. However, plenty must happen before an agency shutdown, including going through Congress for approval.
Still, what would a department closure mean for millions of students nationwide?
The mission of the Department of Education is to ensure equal access to a well-rounded education, promote achievement, and prepare students for global competitiveness. The department fulfills this mission by overseeing loan programs, administering the Pell Grant, and funding programs to support students.
The department has the ability to establish education programs on the federal level to improve the quality of education students receive nationally. A notable program is Head Start, which provides early education to children between 3 and 5 years old.
It’s important to note that the department has no role in developing curricula, determining enrollment or graduation requirements, or establishing schools and colleges in the country. Those responsibilities are left up to the States.
Closing the Department of Education likely wouldn’t change much in terms of how most U.S. school systems are structured. Nonetheless, a department closure would mean cutting funding to many federal education programs including the ones previously mentioned. This would also mean students will no longer receive funds from the Pell Grant or the federal loan programs established by the department. Essentially, the exact students that the department was created to support would no longer have access to the programs that help them get their education. These students include low-income, disadvantaged, special needs, students of color, first-time English learners, and other marginalized groups.
The possibility of a department closure is a point of concern for many, including Alexis Thornton. A senior Broadcast Journalism student at Florida A&M, Thornton expressed how disheartening the news was and how this could affect the lives of any children she decides to have in the future.
“Should this plan go through, I do not have an option to send my child to a public school,” Thornton said.
Part of Thronton’s concern stems from the efforts to erase African American history from curricula in schools across the nation.
While the Department of Education isn’t responsible for that decision, a closure could mean schools won’t receive federal funds that may be used to fund that curricula.
The potential closure of the Department of Education raises critical concerns about the future of education in America. As the debate continues, it’s important to weigh what the consequences are for removing an institution designed to serve the country’s most vulnerable students.