What is the U.S. Education Department and why does Trump want to get rid of it?
President Donald Trump is considering signing an executive order dismantling the federal Department of Education.
Republican calls for abolishing the department date to the Reagan era. They view the agency's existence as bureaucratic overreach and believe education is better left to the states.
So what exactly does the department do?
The department distributes some federal grants for programs such as the Title I program for high-poverty K-12 schools and another program for special education. But most money for public schools comes from state and local property taxes. Altogether, less than 10% of K-12 school funding passes through the federal agency.
The department also conducts research and offers guidance on best classroom practices, most of which is optional. But it has little sway over curriculum decisions, such as what books are appropriate for students. Many decisions fall to local school boards.
Among the department's largest responsibilities are managing federal financial aid programs and federal student loans. It runs the federal work-study program and administers Pell grants to make college more affordable for low-income students.
The department also defends students' civil rights through its Office of Civil Rights. It investigates claims of discrimination based on discrimination based on race, gender, national origin or disability.
The Heritage Foundation's Project 2025, a conservative policy initiative offering a playbook for the incoming administration, suggests moving the department's responsibilities and revenue streams elsewhere. Title I funding, for example, would return to the states over a 10-year period under Project 2025. The Treasury Department would take over collection and default of federal student loans.
Contact Kelly Meyerhofer at kmeyerhofer@gannett.com or 414-223-5168. Follow her on X (Twitter) at @KellyMeyerhofer.