Sharing the Facts About State Authority and Education

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), a Trump administration commission, announced on Feb. 11 plans to effectively eliminate the U.S. Department of Education’s research arm. It said $900 million in contracts and grants were terminated, classifying them as wasteful spending. DOGE, which is focused on slashing the federal budget and workforce, has used these grounds for cuts across several federal agencies. But Congress, not the White House, is tasked with making decisions about federal spending.

This funding termination abruptly ended work that keeps children safe in schools, ensures they can compete in the job market, and supports students with disabilities.

The Trump administration has signaled its intention to dismantle the Department of Education and return authority over education to the states — even though states already possess that authority, and supporting public education is a shared responsibility in our system of government. Ultimately, the states control day-to-day school operations, curriculum standards, teacher certification, and educational policy. But they work in partnership with the federal government.

Here are some key takeaways about the proposed cuts to the Department of Education, and its impact on states:

• The U.S. Constitution divides power between the federal government and the states. Each have their own set of authorities, with the states as power centers.
  • On issues of critical national importance, like public education, the state and federal government share responsibilities for serving the people.
  • The Constitution gives Congress the power to spend. Congress has chosen to support American students through programs overseen by the Department of Education. The President lacks the authority to eliminate these programs.
• The federal government is abandoning its responsibilities to the American people under the guise of returning authority to states.
  • States already oversee curricula, not the federal government. Research and resources from the federal government support that curriculum so students don’t fall behind.
  • Nixing this nationwide research leaves states without crucial data that helps them set policies that work best for their communities — to keep kids safe, in school, and learning.
• These cuts will harm children and families and overburden states. The Department of Education is critical for states that rely on and receive technical assistance. There are baseline standards for education in legislation that Congress entrusted the Department to oversee.
  • While states set education budgets, curricula, and assessments, the federal government provides resources that help ensure every student in a public education system has equal access, as the law requires.
  • Without the Department of Education, states and local school districts — and ultimately taxpayers — would immediately assume costs and responsibilities they have not been able to plan for. It could put students and their families in a position to lose civil rights protections, enrichment programs, and teachers.
• We have a system of checks and balances to stop any one branch from exercising too much power. Congress is tasked with federal spending. This order is an overreach of the executive branch’s authority.
• The Constitution and federal laws protect equal access to public education. Any efforts to dismantle the core functions of the Department of Education will harm our children’s education across the country — abandoning American kids over politics.