Since his 2016 election campaign, President-elect Donald Trump has advocated for the dismantling of the Department of Education (ED), the federal agency responsible for the education policy and funding for schools serving 50 million K-12 students. Now, after winning the 2024 election, it seems he may follow through with that promise.
Trump previously stated that he wants to abolish the department in order to return control over education completely back to the states, a position advocated for by conservatives since Democratic President Jimmy Carter first established the ED in 1979. Despite some outcry from educators, it remains a possibility that he will go through with his initial plan of disbanding the ED, a decision fatal for American education.
The ED is necessary is that its funding both provides districts with money and forces them to abide by nationwide standards. Public schools rely on a combination of state, local, and federal funding, meaning they have to abide by federal regulations to receive federal funding, dictated by the ED.
While 92 percent of the funding for public schools comes from state and local sources, federal dollars are crucial for specific programs, such as Title I (which supports low-income students), special education, and other initiatives designed to address inequalities. These federal regulations are often intended to promote fairness and improve educational outcomes for students.
States generally play a bigger role in funding education, comparing the standards of education in states such as West Virginia to others like Massachusetts, significant disparities become apparent. Massachusetts consistently ranks among the highest-performing states in terms of student achievement, due in large part to its strong state-level standards, robust education system, and an investment of $16 billion in education. In contrast, West Virginia has historically faced challenges like poverty, declining mental health and lack of access to healthcare.
Overall, having fewer resources leads to lower funding levels, often translating into lower educational outcomes. The key to addressing these issues is increasing federal oversight because by setting clear, nationwide guidelines, the federal government can help ensure that states like West Virginia invest more in education and that students in all states have access to a well-rounded, equitable education.
The ED also plays a crucial role in setting national standards for education, ensuring that all students, regardless of where they live, receive an equitable education. If these standards are left up to the states, we will undoubtedly see wide variations in how they are implemented.
For example, states such as Oklahoma and Louisiana have already repeatedly tried to force the Bible and Ten Commandments into social studies classrooms over the past year — and removing federal oversight entirely will only exacerbate the problem.
The rise of politically motivated censorship, such as Florida’s ban on AP African American Studies (The Stinger published an editorial in February 2023 condemning this action), further illustrates the importance of federal standards. It’s worth mentioning that this sort of censorship is present across the country, not just in conservative states: a California school board rejected textbooks because they mentioned Harvey Milk, one of the first openly gay politicians. Without stronger oversight from the Department of Education, these actions threaten to fragment the national curriculum, leaving students with vastly different understandings of history, culture, and civil rights based solely on their geographic location.
The ED also provides numerous beneficial programs to both K-12 students as well as those seeking post-secondary edu cation. For instance, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) provides billions of dollars in loans, scholarships, work-study programs, and grants to students for whom it would otherwise be difficult to attend college. Despite issues with the system last year, the department is actively making strides to improve FAFSA, including by releasing it earlier this year and creating a smoother process to obtain federal aid through its online portal. Additionally, every school district receives a significant amount of funding from the federal government.
The East Penn School District itself receives nearly $2,000,000 from the federal government, according to its 2023-24 budget. Redistributing these funds without the ED, as Trump has suggested, will be a burdensome and long-winded process, adding more confusion and stress for future high school graduates.
While the Department of Education plays a crucial role in maintaining federal standards and ensuring educational equity, it is not without its shortcomings. Critics point to bureaucratic inefficiencies and federal mandates imposing requirements that fail to account for the unique needs of individual states or local school districts. These issues highlight the need for reform within the Department of Education to make it more responsive, efficient, and equitable in addressing the varied educational landscapes across the country.
The Department of Education isn’t perfect — but neither is any other government agency. However, these shortcomings underscore the importance of improving the system, not dismantling it, as the absence of federal oversight would exacerbate existing disparities rather than resolve them. The best solution for all children in public schools, whether liberal, conservative, or otherwise is the reform of the ED, not its outright elimination. Abolishing the ED is an extreme step in the wrong direction for an already deeply divided America. Our schools are where we teach this nation’s next generation, and some form of standards — albeit drastically revised ones — are inherently necessary to ensure a competent, well-rounded workforce.
In a 10-1 vote, The Stinger Editorial Board advocates against abolishing the Department of Education, as students will be the first to face the consequences of the Trump administration’s intended actions.
