Become part of the movement for unbiased, accessible election information. Donate today.
U.S. Department of Education: Difference between revisions
m (Replaced ==References== with ==Footnotes==.) |
|||
(44 intermediate revisions by 17 users not shown) | |||
Line 2: | Line 2: | ||
|name = Department of Education | |name = Department of Education | ||
|image = US-DeptOfEducation-Seal.svg | |image = US-DeptOfEducation-Seal.svg | ||
|secretary = [[ | |secretary = [[Linda McMahon]] | ||
|deputy secretary = | |deputy secretary = | ||
|budget = | |budget = | ||
|employment = | |employment = | ||
|year = 1980 | |year = 1980 | ||
|website = [http://www.ed.gov/ | |website = [http://www.ed.gov/ Ed.gov] | ||
}}{{tnr}}{{ExecDeptsbox}}The U.S. Department of Education is a United States executive department established in 1980. The department was formed to promote educational excellence and ensure equal opportunity for public schooling.<ref name="DOEabout">[http://www2.ed.gov/about/landing.jhtml ''U.S. Department of Education'', "About Ed: Overview and Mission Statement," accessed October 2, 2013]</ref> Of the 15 Cabinet agencies, the U.S. Department of Education has the smallest staff and the third largest discretionary budget.<ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html ''U.S. Department of Education'', "The Federal Role in Education," accessed November 10, 2015]</ref> | }}{{tnr}}{{ExecDeptsbox}} | ||
::See also: ''[[United States education agencies]]''<br> | |||
The '''U.S. Department of Education''' is a United States executive department established in 1980. The department was formed to promote educational excellence and ensure equal opportunity for public schooling.<ref name="DOEabout">[http://www2.ed.gov/about/landing.jhtml ''U.S. Department of Education'', "About Ed: Overview and Mission Statement," accessed October 2, 2013]</ref> Of the 15 Cabinet agencies, the U.S. Department of Education has the smallest staff and the third largest discretionary budget.<ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html ''U.S. Department of Education'', "The Federal Role in Education," accessed November 10, 2015]</ref><br> | |||
[[Linda McMahon]] is the U.S. secretary of education. [[Confirmation process for Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees, 2025|Click here]] to learn more about her confirmation process. | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
Education in the U.S. is primarily the responsibility of states and local districts. The [[United States Constitution]] does not mention any role for the federal government in education, and, according to the [[United States Constitution|Tenth Amendment]], anything not mentioned in the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] is left to the states to decide. A federal department of education was originally created in 1867 to help the states set up school systems by gathering information about teaching, schools and teachers. The current U.S. Department of Education was established by [[United States Congress|Congress]] in 1980. It united several existing offices across different agencies into a Cabinet level agency located in the executive branch. Over the years, the location of the department in the government and its name has changed several times, and its scope, number of personnel and budget has significantly increased.<ref name="DOEabout"/><ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed | Education in the U.S. is primarily the responsibility of states and local districts. The [[United States Constitution]] does not mention any role for the federal government in education, and, according to the [[United States Constitution|Tenth Amendment]], anything not mentioned in the [[United States Constitution|Constitution]] is left to the states to decide. A federal department of education was originally created in 1867 to help the states set up school systems by gathering information about teaching, schools, and teachers. The current U.S. Department of Education was established by [[United States Congress|Congress]] in 1980. It united several existing offices across different agencies into a Cabinet level agency located in the executive branch. Over the years, the location of the department in the government and its name has changed several times, and its scope, number of personnel and budget has significantly increased.<ref name="DOEabout"/><ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed January 20, 2014]</ref> | ||
The department's mission of fostering educational excellence and equal access arose out of the cultural and political events in the post-World War II era. The [[National Defense Education Act (NDEA)]], the first comprehensive federal education law, was passed by Congress in 1958 in response to the Soviet launch of Sputnik during the Cold War. The department added its "public access" mission in response to anti-poverty and civil rights legislation of the 1960s and 1970s.<ref name="DOEabout"/><ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed | The department's mission of fostering educational excellence and equal access arose out of the cultural and political events in the post-World War II era. The [[National Defense Education Act (NDEA)]], the first comprehensive federal education law, was passed by Congress in 1958 in response to the Soviet launch of Sputnik during the Cold War. The department added its "public access" mission in response to anti-poverty and civil rights legislation of the 1960s and 1970s.<ref name="DOEabout"/><ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed January 20, 2014]</ref> | ||
Although the federal government provides only about 12 percent of the overall education spending of $1.15 trillion, the role of the federal government in setting education policy has grown considerably over the last several decades. The department implements laws passed by Congress and administers grants to states for certain programs, such as the [[No Child Left Behind Act]], [[Race to the Top]] and Title One School Improvement Grants.<ref name="DOEabout"/><ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed | Although the federal government provides only about 12 percent of the overall education spending of $1.15 trillion, the role of the federal government in setting education policy has grown considerably over the last several decades. The department implements laws passed by Congress and administers grants to states for certain programs, such as the [[No Child Left Behind Act]], [[Race to the Top]] and Title One School Improvement Grants.<ref name="DOEabout"/><ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/fed/role.html U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed January 20, 2014]</ref><ref>[http://www2.ed.gov/policy/policy-by-program.html ''U.S. Department of Education'', "Policy Overview," accessed January 20, 2014]</ref> | ||
===Timeline=== | ===Timeline=== | ||
The following is a list of important dates in the history of the federal government's role in education:<ref name="hist"/><ref>[http://www.today.com/id/39154333/ns/today-back_to_school/t/timeline-moments-changed-public-education/#.Uk2aS4aUTxw ''Today'', "Timeline: Moments that changed public education," accessed October 3, 2013]</ref> | The following is a list of important dates in the history of the federal government's role in education:<ref name="hist"/><ref>[http://www.today.com/id/39154333/ns/today-back_to_school/t/timeline-moments-changed-public-education/#.Uk2aS4aUTxw ''Today'', "Timeline: Moments that changed public education," accessed October 3, 2013]</ref> | ||
*1862: The First Morrill Act provided the first federal aid for higher education by donating land for setting up colleges.<ref>[http://www.ourdocuments.gov/print_friendly.php?flash=true&page=&doc=33&title=Morrill+Act+%281862%29 ''ourdocuments.gov'', "Morrill Act (1862)," accessed April 18, 2014 | *1862: The First Morrill Act provided the first federal aid for higher education by donating land for setting up colleges.<ref>[http://www.ourdocuments.gov/print_friendly.php?flash=true&page=&doc=33&title=Morrill+Act+%281862%29 ''ourdocuments.gov'', "Morrill Act (1862)," accessed April 18, 2014]</ref> | ||
*1890: The Second Morrill Act established a support system for land-grant colleges and universities. | *1890: The Second Morrill Act established a support system for land-grant colleges and universities. | ||
*1896: The [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] case ''[[Plessy v. Ferguson]]'' legalized segregation in "separate but equal" schools. | *1896: The [[Supreme Court of the United States|U.S. Supreme Court]] case ''[[Plessy v. Ferguson]]'' legalized segregation in "separate but equal" schools. | ||
Line 42: | Line 42: | ||
*2010: The [[Race to the Top]] program encouraged states to compete for federal grants in education. | *2010: The [[Race to the Top]] program encouraged states to compete for federal grants in education. | ||
==Mission== | |||
The U.S. Department of Education's official department mission statement is as follows: | The U.S. Department of Education's official department mission statement is as follows: | ||
{{Quote|ED's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. | {{Quote|ED's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access. | ||
Line 63: | Line 62: | ||
*Increase the accountability of Federal education programs to the President, the Congress, and the public.|author=Department of Education<ref name=mission>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/mission/mission.html ''U.S. Department of Education'', "Mission," accessed November 10, 2015]</ref>}} | *Increase the accountability of Federal education programs to the President, the Congress, and the public.|author=Department of Education<ref name=mission>[http://www2.ed.gov/about/overview/mission/mission.html ''U.S. Department of Education'', "Mission," accessed November 10, 2015]</ref>}} | ||
==Leadership== | |||
{{TASP vnt small}} | |||
{| class="wikitable collapsible" style="background:none; text-align:center; width:70%;" | {| class="wikitable collapsible" style="background:none; text-align:center; width:70%;" | ||
! colspan="9" style="background-color:#444; color: white;" |'''Recent Secretaries of Education''' | ! colspan="9" style="background-color:#444; color: white;" |'''Recent Secretaries of Education''' | ||
Line 81: | Line 79: | ||
| [[Arne Duncan]]|| 2009-2015||[[Barack Obama]] | | [[Arne Duncan]]|| 2009-2015||[[Barack Obama]] | ||
|- | |- | ||
| [[John King (New York)|John King Jr.]]|| 2016- | | [[John King (New York)|John King Jr.]]|| 2016-2017||[[Barack Obama]] | ||
|- | |||
| [[Betsy DeVos]]|| 2017-2021||[[Donald Trump]] | |||
|- | |||
| [[Miguel Cardona]]|| 2021-2025||[[Joe Biden]] | |||
|- | |||
| Denise Carter (acting)|| 2025-2025||[[Donald Trump]] | |||
|- | |||
| [[Linda McMahon]]|| 2025-present||[[Donald Trump]] | |||
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
Line 100: | Line 106: | ||
|} | |} | ||
=== | ==Organization== | ||
[https://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/or/index.html Click here] to view the Department of Education's organizational chart. | |||
==Education in the 50 states== | ==Education in the 50 states== | ||
Line 283: | Line 163: | ||
{{colend}} | {{colend}} | ||
== | ==[[Noteworthy events]]== | ||
====Federal judge blocks President Trump's order to dismantle DOE (2025)==== | |||
On May 22, 2025, U.S. District Judge [[Myong Joun]] blocked Trump's March 20 executive order to shut down the Department of Education (DOE) and ordered the administration to reinstate fired workers. In a lawsuit, several education groups claimed that the Trump Administration hindered the department's ability to fulfill its mandated responsibilities, which include providing financial aid, supporting special education, and protecting civil rights. The executive order, titled "Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities," was written to shift education authority to the states and close the DOE beyond its "core necessities" of distributing Title I funding for low-income schools, money for special education, and Pell grants. On March 11, 2025, the Trump Administration laid off 1,300 workers, leaving the department with half its former workforce and most significantly impacting Federal Student Aid, the Office for Civil Rights, and the [[Institute of Education Sciences]]. Joun wrote that the layoffs "will likely cripple the Department," and noted that "the Department cannot be shut down without Congress’s approval." The Trump administration filed an appeal days later.<ref>[https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/improving-education-outcomes-by-empowering-parents-states-and-communities/ ''The White House'', "Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities," March 20, 2025]</ref><ref>[https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/judge-blocks-trumps-executive-order-to-dismantle-education-department ''PBS'', "Judge blocks Trump’s executive order to dismantle Education Department," May 22, 2025]</ref> | |||
====Trump administration rescinds Obama-era guidance document (2018)==== | |||
::''See also: [[Guidance (administrative state)]] and [[Rulemaking]] | |||
The Trump administration rescinded [[guidance]] documents in July 2018 that had been issued by the DOE under the Obama administration. The [[guidance]] documents encouraged institutions of higher education to consider race as a factor in the admissions process as a means to achieving student diversity. The documents provided legal recommendations and contextual examples for schools considering race as a component of the admissions process.<ref name=cnn>[https://www.cnn.com/2018/07/03/politics/trump-administration-college-admissions/index.html ''CNN'', "Trump administration reverses Obama-era guidance on use of race in college admissions," July 3, 2018]</ref><ref name=wsj>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-administration-to-rescind-obama-era-guidelines-on-race-in-college-admissions-1530619273 ''The Wall Street Journal'', "Trump Administration to Rescind Obama Guidelines on Race in College Admissions," July 3, 2018]</ref> | |||
The decision to rescind the DOE's [[guidance]] documents occurred in light of an investigation launched by the [[U.S. Department of Justice]] (DOJ) in the summer of 2017 regarding allegations that Harvard University discriminated against Asian-American applicants by holding them to a higher standard than other applicants.<ref name=wsj/><ref>[https://www.wsj.com/articles/filings-provide-look-at-how-harvard-uses-race-in-admissions-1529068477?mod=article_inline ''The Wall Street Journal'', "Court Filings Detail Role of Race in Harvard Undergraduate Admissions," June 15, 2018]</ref> | |||
Attorney General [[Jeff Sessions]] announced the policy change on July 3, 2018. In his announcement, Sessions stated that the DOE is required to adopt new regulations through the [[rulemaking]] process, which provides members of the public with the opportunity to offer feedback on [[proposed rule]]s during [[comment period|public comment period]]s. He discouraged the agency from implementing regulations through [[guidance]] documents, which are issued by agencies in order to explain, interpret, or advise interested parties about rules, laws, and procedures:<ref name=cnn/> | |||
{{Quote|The American people deserve to have their voices heard and a government that is accountable to them. When issuing regulations, federal agencies must abide by constitutional principles and follow the rules set forth by Congress and the President. In previous administrations, however, agencies often tried to impose new rules on the American people without any public notice or comment period, simply by sending a letter or posting a guidance document on a website. That's wrong, and it's not good government.<ref name=cnn/>}} | |||
Sessions previously instructed the DOJ to refrain from issuing regulations through [[guidance]] documents in a November 2017 agency memo. For more information about Sessions' DOJ memo on [[guidance]], [[Guidance_(administrative_state)#Presidential administrations on guidance|'''click here''']]. | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
Line 294: | Line 184: | ||
|- | |- | ||
|valign="top"| | |valign="top"| | ||
*[[ | *[[Betsy DeVos]] | ||
*[[ | *[[Mick Zais]] | ||
*[[U.S. Department of Defense]] | *[[U.S. Department of Defense]] | ||
*[[U.S. Department of Homeland Security]] | *[[U.S. Department of Homeland Security]] | ||
Line 314: | Line 204: | ||
==External links== | ==External links== | ||
*[http://www.ed.gov Official Department of Education website] | *[http://www.ed.gov Official Department of Education website] | ||
*[https://www.facebook.com/ed.gov Official Facebook page] | *[https://www.facebook.com/ed.gov Official Facebook page] | ||
*[https://twitter.com/usedgov Official Twitter page] | *[https://twitter.com/usedgov Official Twitter page] | ||
*[http://www.youtube.com/user/usedgov Official Youtube channel] | *[http://www.youtube.com/user/usedgov Official Youtube channel] | ||
{{Google|search=U.S. Department of Education}} | |||
==Footnotes== | ==Footnotes== | ||
Line 325: | Line 214: | ||
[[Category:Executive departments of the United States]] | [[Category:Executive departments of the United States]] | ||
[[Category:Agencies of the administrative state]] | |||
[[Category: DOE page views]] | |||
{{Executive Branch}} | {{Executive Branch}} | ||
{{TASP hnt}} | |||
<onlyinclude><css> | |||
.body { | |||
margin: 0; | |||
padding: 0 0 10 0; | |||
background: #EEE; | |||
font: 10px/13px 'Lucida Sans',sans-serif; | |||
} | |||
.wrap { | |||
overflow: hidden; | |||
margin: 10px; | |||
max-width: 900px; | |||
} | |||
.box { | |||
float: left; | |||
position: relative; | |||
width: 25%; | |||
padding-bottom: 15%; | |||
} | |||
.boxInner { | |||
position: absolute; | |||
left: 10px; | |||
right: 10px; | |||
top: 10px; | |||
bottom: 10px; | |||
overflow: hidden; | |||
} | |||
.boxInner img { | |||
width: 100%; | |||
} | |||
.boxInner .titleBox { | |||
position: absolute; | |||
bottom: 0; | |||
left: 0; | |||
right: 0; | |||
margin-bottom: -2px; | |||
background: #000; | |||
background: rgba(0, 0, 0, .5); | |||
color: #FFF; | |||
padding: 2px; | |||
text-align: center; | |||
-webkit-transition: all 0.3s ease-out; | |||
-moz-transition: all 0.3s ease-out; | |||
-o-transition: all 0.3s ease-out; | |||
transition: all 0.3s ease-out; | |||
} | |||
.box:hover { | |||
background: #2F54A8; | |||
z-index: 100; | |||
transform: scale(1, 1); | |||
} | |||
body.no-touch .boxInner:hover .titleBox, body.touch .boxInner.touchFocus .titleBox { | |||
margin-bottom: 10; | |||
} | |||
.page-Donald_Trump_presidential_campaign_2016 .ShowThis { | |||
margin-left: 29%; | |||
} | |||
@media only screen and (max-width : 480px) { | |||
/* Smartphone view: 1 tile */ | |||
.box { | |||
width: 100%; | |||
padding-bottom: 100%; | |||
} | |||
} | |||
@media only screen and (max-width : 650px) and (min-width : 481px) { | |||
/* Tablet view: 2 tiles */ | |||
.box { | |||
width: 50%; | |||
padding-bottom: 50%; | |||
} | |||
} | |||
@media only screen and (max-width : 1050px) and (min-width : 651px) { | |||
/* Small desktop / ipad view: 3 tiles */ | |||
.box { | |||
width: 33.3%; | |||
padding-bottom: 33.3%; | |||
} | |||
} | |||
@media only screen and (min-width : 1051px) { | |||
/* Medium desktop: 5 tiles */ | |||
.box { | |||
width: 20%; | |||
padding-bottom: 20%; | |||
} | |||
} | |||
</css></onlyinclude> |
Latest revision as of 19:11, 19 June 2025
Department of Education | |
![]() | |
Secretary: | Linda McMahon |
Year created: | 1980 |
Official website: | Ed.gov |
- See also: United States education agencies
- See also: United States education agencies
The U.S. Department of Education is a United States executive department established in 1980. The department was formed to promote educational excellence and ensure equal opportunity for public schooling.[1] Of the 15 Cabinet agencies, the U.S. Department of Education has the smallest staff and the third largest discretionary budget.[2]
Linda McMahon is the U.S. secretary of education. Click here to learn more about her confirmation process.
History
Education in the U.S. is primarily the responsibility of states and local districts. The United States Constitution does not mention any role for the federal government in education, and, according to the Tenth Amendment, anything not mentioned in the Constitution is left to the states to decide. A federal department of education was originally created in 1867 to help the states set up school systems by gathering information about teaching, schools, and teachers. The current U.S. Department of Education was established by Congress in 1980. It united several existing offices across different agencies into a Cabinet level agency located in the executive branch. Over the years, the location of the department in the government and its name has changed several times, and its scope, number of personnel and budget has significantly increased.[1][3]
The department's mission of fostering educational excellence and equal access arose out of the cultural and political events in the post-World War II era. The National Defense Education Act (NDEA), the first comprehensive federal education law, was passed by Congress in 1958 in response to the Soviet launch of Sputnik during the Cold War. The department added its "public access" mission in response to anti-poverty and civil rights legislation of the 1960s and 1970s.[1][4]
Although the federal government provides only about 12 percent of the overall education spending of $1.15 trillion, the role of the federal government in setting education policy has grown considerably over the last several decades. The department implements laws passed by Congress and administers grants to states for certain programs, such as the No Child Left Behind Act, Race to the Top and Title One School Improvement Grants.[1][5][6]
Timeline
The following is a list of important dates in the history of the federal government's role in education:[7][8]
- 1862: The First Morrill Act provided the first federal aid for higher education by donating land for setting up colleges.[9]
- 1890: The Second Morrill Act established a support system for land-grant colleges and universities.
- 1896: The U.S. Supreme Court case Plessy v. Ferguson legalized segregation in "separate but equal" schools.
- 1917: The Smith-Hughes Act extended federal aid to vocational education programs.
- 1944: The GI Bill authorized assistance to veterans for postsecondary schools.
- 1946: The Georgia-Barden Act established agricultural, industrial and home economics classes.
- 1954: The U.S. Supreme Court case ''Brown v. Board of Education'' outlawed segregation precedent set in Plessy v. Ferguson.
- 1958: The National Defense Education Act (NDEA) supported loans for college students; improved science, technology and foreign language support in elementary and secondary schools; and provided fellowships in response to the Cold War.
- 1964: Title VI of the Civil Rights Act prohibited discrimination based on race, color or national origin in public schools.
- 1965: Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act gave federal aid to schools in poor rural and urban areas.
- 1965: The Higher Education Act authorized federal aid for poor postsecondary students.
- 1970: Standardized tests were given to public schools and the results were reported to the government and public in an effort to hold educators accountable.
- 1972: Title IX of the Education Amendments prohibited discrimination based on sex in public schools.
- 1973: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act prohibited discrimination based on disability in public schools.
- 1980: Congress passed the "Department of Education Organization Act," (Public Law 96-88 of October 1979).
- 2001: The No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) increased education funding and established standards-based testing reforms.
- 2010: The Race to the Top program encouraged states to compete for federal grants in education.
Mission
The U.S. Department of Education's official department mission statement is as follows:
“ | ED's mission is to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.
Congress established the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on May 4, 1980, in the Department of Education Organization Act (Public Law 96-88 of October 1979). Under this law, ED's mission is to:
|
” |
—Department of Education[11] |
Leadership
Administrative State |
---|
Read more about the administrative state on Ballotpedia. |
Recent Secretaries of Education | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Secretary of Education | Years in office | Nominated by | ||||||
Lamar Alexander | 1991-1993 | George H.W. Bush | ||||||
Richard Riley | 1993-2001 | Bill Clinton | ||||||
Roderick Paige | 2001-2005 | George W. Bush | ||||||
Margaret Spellings | 2005-2009 | George W. Bush | ||||||
Arne Duncan | 2009-2015 | Barack Obama | ||||||
John King Jr. | 2016-2017 | Barack Obama | ||||||
Betsy DeVos | 2017-2021 | Donald Trump | ||||||
Miguel Cardona | 2021-2025 | Joe Biden | ||||||
Denise Carter (acting) | 2025-2025 | Donald Trump | ||||||
Linda McMahon | 2025-present | Donald Trump |
Historical Secretaries of Education | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Secretary of Education | Years in office | Nominated by | Confirmation vote | |||||
Shirley Hufstedler | 1980-1981 | Jimmy Carter | 81-2 | |||||
Terrel Bell | 1981-1985 | Ronald Reagan | 90-2 | |||||
William J. Bennett | 1985-1988 | Ronald Reagan | 93-0 | |||||
Lauro Cavazos | 1988-1990 | Ronald Reagan | 94-0 |
Organization
Click here to view the Department of Education's organizational chart.
Education in the 50 states
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
Noteworthy events
Federal judge blocks President Trump's order to dismantle DOE (2025)
On May 22, 2025, U.S. District Judge Myong Joun blocked Trump's March 20 executive order to shut down the Department of Education (DOE) and ordered the administration to reinstate fired workers. In a lawsuit, several education groups claimed that the Trump Administration hindered the department's ability to fulfill its mandated responsibilities, which include providing financial aid, supporting special education, and protecting civil rights. The executive order, titled "Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities," was written to shift education authority to the states and close the DOE beyond its "core necessities" of distributing Title I funding for low-income schools, money for special education, and Pell grants. On March 11, 2025, the Trump Administration laid off 1,300 workers, leaving the department with half its former workforce and most significantly impacting Federal Student Aid, the Office for Civil Rights, and the Institute of Education Sciences. Joun wrote that the layoffs "will likely cripple the Department," and noted that "the Department cannot be shut down without Congress’s approval." The Trump administration filed an appeal days later.[12][13]
Trump administration rescinds Obama-era guidance document (2018)
- See also: Guidance (administrative state) and Rulemaking
The Trump administration rescinded guidance documents in July 2018 that had been issued by the DOE under the Obama administration. The guidance documents encouraged institutions of higher education to consider race as a factor in the admissions process as a means to achieving student diversity. The documents provided legal recommendations and contextual examples for schools considering race as a component of the admissions process.[14][15]
The decision to rescind the DOE's guidance documents occurred in light of an investigation launched by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in the summer of 2017 regarding allegations that Harvard University discriminated against Asian-American applicants by holding them to a higher standard than other applicants.[15][16]
Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the policy change on July 3, 2018. In his announcement, Sessions stated that the DOE is required to adopt new regulations through the rulemaking process, which provides members of the public with the opportunity to offer feedback on proposed rules during public comment periods. He discouraged the agency from implementing regulations through guidance documents, which are issued by agencies in order to explain, interpret, or advise interested parties about rules, laws, and procedures:[14]
“ | The American people deserve to have their voices heard and a government that is accountable to them. When issuing regulations, federal agencies must abide by constitutional principles and follow the rules set forth by Congress and the President. In previous administrations, however, agencies often tried to impose new rules on the American people without any public notice or comment period, simply by sending a letter or posting a guidance document on a website. That's wrong, and it's not good government.[14][10] | ” |
Sessions previously instructed the DOJ to refrain from issuing regulations through guidance documents in a November 2017 agency memo. For more information about Sessions' DOJ memo on guidance, click here.
See also
External links
- Official Department of Education website
- Official Facebook page
- Official Twitter page
- Official Youtube channel
- Search Google News for this topic
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 U.S. Department of Education, "About Ed: Overview and Mission Statement," accessed October 2, 2013
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "The Federal Role in Education," accessed November 10, 2015
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education website, "The Federal Role in Government," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "Policy Overview," accessed January 20, 2014
- ↑ Cite error: Invalid
<ref>
tag; no text was provided for refs namedhist
- ↑ Today, "Timeline: Moments that changed public education," accessed October 3, 2013
- ↑ ourdocuments.gov, "Morrill Act (1862)," accessed April 18, 2014
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 Note: This text is quoted verbatim from the original source. Any inconsistencies are attributable to the original source.
- ↑ U.S. Department of Education, "Mission," accessed November 10, 2015
- ↑ The White House, "Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities," March 20, 2025
- ↑ PBS, "Judge blocks Trump’s executive order to dismantle Education Department," May 22, 2025
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 14.2 CNN, "Trump administration reverses Obama-era guidance on use of race in college admissions," July 3, 2018
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 The Wall Street Journal, "Trump Administration to Rescind Obama Guidelines on Race in College Admissions," July 3, 2018
- ↑ The Wall Street Journal, "Court Filings Detail Role of Race in Harvard Undergraduate Admissions," June 15, 2018
|