The Trump administration has started to dismantle the US Department of Education to reportedly ‘free schools’ from federal oversight. However, many state officials warn it could create chaos instead for millions of students relying on federal support.
Under the plan, key functions of the department will be distributed across the Labor, Health and Human Services, State, and Interior departments.
Critics say this would create confusion for schools on who manages funding, policy guidance, and compliance. Not only will it increase bureaucracy, but it also risks leaving students without support in subjects like math and reading.
What Will Happen to Schools?
Dismantling the US Department of Education will be a game-changer for schools, as it has been acting as a central authority for funding, oversight, and guidance on federal education programs.
Now, Trump wants much of its work to be transferred to other federal agencies.
Per PBS, Washington state’s education chief warned that the move could ‘undoubtedly create confusion and duplicity’ for educators and families. California’s top education official also described the shift as ‘clearly less efficient’, noting the potential disruption for both administrators and students.
Maryland’s superintendent added that coordinating efforts across four separate federal departments would be ‘challenging’, which means it would slow or complicate everyday school operations.
Jill Underly, Wisconsin’s state superintendent, expressed frustration that states were not consulted, noting that it’s now what they and students are asking for.
Dispersed Federal Funding and Oversight: Is It More Efficient?
Education Secretary Linda McMahon assured schools that they will still receive federal funding without interruption. She said the plan, if anything, will provide states with more flexibility and money to meet local needs, while ending what she called ‘federal micromanagement’.
However, experts warn that dispersing funding responsibilities could create inconsistencies.
Critics specifically note that the Education Department was created in 1979 to consolidate programs scattered across multiple agencies. For a long time, this reduced duplication and inconsistency, which the new plan threatens to revive.
In Salem, Massachusetts, some schools receive roughly $6 million (£4.9 million) in federal support for low-income and special-needs students. With the Trump administration’s new plan, there will be massive confusion and hardship about additional requirements and restrictions that they never had to consider before.
The Labor Department will assume control of Title I, an $18 billion (£14.6 billion) programme that serves 26 million students in low-income areas. Previously, the office administering this programme handled grants for just 130,000 people annually.
Angela Hanks, who led the office under the Biden administration, warned this could ‘unleash chaos on school districts, and ultimately, on our kids’. Local officials share similar concerns.
A Chaotic Future for Students and Teachers
The full impact of the reorganisation may take months to become clear, but states and districts are anxious. Without clear federal contacts, there will be a struggle to access necessary support, potentially leaving vulnerable students at risk.
Rep. Bobby Scott, ranking member of the House Education and Workforce Committee, urged McMahon to reconsider. While intending it as a ‘hard reset’, the plan risks leaving schools with more bureaucracy and fewer resources.
Margaret Spellings, former education secretary under President George W. Bush, called the current plan a distraction from America’s ‘national education crisis’. She warned that moving programmes does not remove bureaucracy but may make the system harder for teachers, families, and students.
Originally published on IBTimes UK
