Trump’s Plan: Dismantle Education Department

The Trump administration has taken its most aggressive step to date to dismantle the Department of Education, announcing six interagency agreements that transfer core K-12 and higher education functions to the Labor Department and other federal agencies. This historic, non-congressional restructuring fulfills a decades-long conservative goal, but has sparked immediate legal challenges and political opposition over executive authority and the future of federal education programs.

Quick Take

The Trump administration transfers major education functions to the Labor Department and other agencies, effectively dismantling the Education Department without congressional approval
The move fulfills decades-long conservative goals to return education control to states and reduce federal bureaucracy
Administration argues shutdown proved the department unnecessary; schools operated without federal oversight
Legal challenges and congressional opposition are mounting; Democrats call the effort “outright illegal.”
Unprecedented administrative downsizing raises questions about executive overreach and the future of federal education programs

Bypassing Congress to Reshape Education

On November 18, 2025, the Trump administration announced six interagency agreements transferring core education functions away from the Department of Education. K-12 and higher education management now shifts to the Labor Department, while other functions disperse to Health and Human Services, Interior, and State. This restructuring sidesteps the legislative process entirely, using administrative authority and the Economy Act as legal cover to accomplish what Republicans have pursued for decades.

Trump makes another big move to shut down the Department of Education https://t.co/lx8lVLYlBb

— Business Insider (@BusinessInsider) November 18, 2025

A Victory for Limited Government

For conservative voters frustrated with federal overreach, this represents a watershed moment. Education Secretary Linda McMahon framed the move as fulfilling President Trump’s promise to “return education where it belongs—at the state and local level.” The administration’s logic is compelling: during the recent 43-day government shutdown, schools operated seamlessly without federal management, suggesting the department’s bureaucracy serves little purpose beyond perpetuating itself and imposing one-size-fits-all policies that ignore local needs.

The Path to Dismantling a Federal Agency

This effort began in March 2025 when Trump signed an executive order directing McMahon to shut down the department “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.” By April, further executive actions accelerated the timeline. Early in the year, career-technical education moved to Labor as a pilot program. Now, the November announcements represent the full-scale implementation of a conservative blueprint that has existed for years within Project 2025 and Heritage Foundation policy documents.

Confronting Progressive Resistance

Education advocacy groups and unions have erupted in opposition, calling the move “selling the Department of Education for parts” and warning of catastrophic harm to students. Congressional Democrats denounce the effort as illegal, while some Republicans praise it as an “excellent first step.” The legal and political battle is far from over. Congressional action and potential court challenges loom, with uncertainty surrounding the ultimate fate of transferred employees and program continuity.

Implications for Federalism and Executive Authority

This restructuring tests the limits of executive power in ways that will reverberate beyond education policy. By using interagency agreements to accomplish what would normally require congressional legislation, the administration establishes a precedent for dismantling federal agencies through administrative means. Conservative supporters view this as restoring proper constitutional balance and empowering states. Critics worry it represents dangerous executive overreach that erodes legislative authority and institutional checks.

Watch the report: White House accelerates plans to shutter U.S. Education Department