The Longstanding Push to Abolish the Department of Education
The movement to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education is not new, nor is it a product of the recent “Project 2025” initiative. Long before this policy framework emerged, Ronald Reagan and Donald Trump both advocated for eliminating the department, viewing it as an unnecessary federal overreach into a domain best left to the states. Reagan attempted to roll back its powers in the 1980s but faced congressional resistance. After all, it had only been put in place in 1979 by President Carter.
Trump revived this goal during his presidency and has continued to argue that decentralizing education would improve efficiency and accountability. Their position is rooted in the belief that Washington bureaucrats should not dictate education policy for states with vastly different populations and needs. Plus-have you talked to your kids lately about what they are learning? Where is the critical thinking? The challenging? The exploration? As a father, I’ve been incredibly unimpressed.
Beyond education, conservatives have been systematically reducing the federal government’s influence in state matters, leveraging Supreme Court decisions such as Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and West Virginia v. EPA. The Dobbs decision overturned Roe v. Wade, shifting abortion policy back to the states, while West Virginia v. EPA limited the federal government’s regulatory authority over environmental policies. These rulings align with the broader conservative effort to deconstruct the administrative state and return policymaking power to state governments, a strategy that extends directly to education policy. If the courts continue restricting federal agencies’ power, it stands to reason that the Department of Education, which wields significant influence over local school policies, will face mounting pressure for reform or abolition.
A key argument for eliminating or downsizing the department is the inefficiency and waste associated with massive federal bureaucracies. The Department of Education has an annual budget of over $80 billion, yet the U.S. continues to lag behind many developed nations in educational outcomes. If recent revelations of mismanagement within USAID (United States Agency for International Development) are any indication, the Department of Education may also be riddled with corruption and financial waste. USAID has faced scrutiny for millions of dollars in unaccounted-for spending, raising the question of how much of the Education Department’s budget is similarly misallocated or siphoned off by bureaucratic inefficiency. A systematic audit could reveal that a roll-up, consolidation, or phase-out of the department might be the most practical path forward.
In the interim, conservatives argue that rooting out corruption and waste should be a priority. Over the last 30 years, the federal government has expanded its footprint in numerous sectors, often with little oversight or accountability. Trillions have been spent across agencies, yet many programs fail to deliver measurable improvements. As investigations into government inefficiencies continue, particularly in agencies handling large discretionary budgets, reducing the Department of Education’s role—or even eliminating it—could be a logical next step. The process wouldn’t happen overnight, but a phased approach could gradually transfer responsibilities back to states while ensuring vital student aid programs are managed effectively.
Ultimately, the push to dismantle the Department of Education is not just about education policy; it is part of a broader restructuring of federal authority. Reagan and Trump’s calls for elimination predate modern conservative policy initiatives, demonstrating that this issue has deep ideological roots. With the Supreme Court limiting federal agency overreach and increasing scrutiny on government waste, the argument for a decentralized approach to education is stronger than ever. Whether through full abolition or a gradual rollback, conservatives see this as an opportunity to realign education governance with the constitutional principle of state sovereignty—a principle that has been steadily reinforced in recent years.
Nothing is easier than spending someone else’s money, especially when seasoned with abundant rectitude and projected virtue
Education is delivered by local school districts and these should be accountable to the local citizens. The Federal involvement in education is just watering down the effort. Eliminating $80 billion is a serious improvement in federal spending. The delivery of tangible results from the Department of Education is lacking. Instead of consuming funding for education with academics and bureaucrats at the federal level, fund the local school districts. But there is no need for the federal department if we have local school administration. Instead of using the federal agency as a scapegoat tge local school administration should be held accountable for improving the quality of education. Too many cooks in the kitchen! Ditch the federal department and its waste.