President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order moving to close the Department of Education (DOE) on March 20th. To clarify, President Trump does not have the authority to shutdown a Department created by Congress. However, President Trump can order the Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to begin firing the staff that work at the DOE, rendering it inoperable. This is one of numerous orders President Trump has signed since he was inaugurated on January 20th. The DOE was established back in 1979 to create policy for administrators, coordinate the federal government’s role in education, and assist in the president’s execution of their education policies while also providing equal access to education. According to the White House Fact Sheet about the executive order, “Federal government control of education has failed students, parents, and teachers […] the Biden Administration the Department of Education wasted more than $1 billion in grants focused on entrenching radical ideologies in education.” The President weakened the DOE to give the power of education back to the states where he has said it belongs, according to his policies during his campaign. 

What does this mean?

This means that now each state can determine what not to and what to teach students which could result in inconsistencies in the amount of education on certain topics based on region and state political stand points. Next school year, states are expected to provide a smooth and uninterrupted delivery of the benefits and services of the DOE. However, the New Jersey Department of Education (NJDOE) does not know what will happen, but they guarantee that the quality of education of New Jersey students will continue. A March 21 Press Release from Kevin Dehmer, Commissioner of the NJDOE, reads: “Upholding every student’s right to a free public education is essential not only to New Jersey values, but to New Jersey law. Whether in funding or in ensuring access to supportive educational environments, the NJDOE will continue its longstanding efforts to foster a world-class education system that meets the needs of all students.”

At the signing President Trump said federal grants and loans will be preserved and redistributed to other government agencies. President Trump wanted to have the department dismantled as quickly as possible, but according to Hillsborough Superintendent Michael Volpe, the budget won’t be affected until next year. Volpe also voiced concerns about the sudden and unknown nature of the dismantling of the department. “What we’re being told right now is that all of the functions of the Department of Education are going to be handled by another federal department.” He goes on to say how the lack of planning shown federally and statewide was irregular for a change of such magnitude. “So we get about almost $1.9 Million to help support our special education students… and then get about another $182,000 to help support low income students in various ways. So, if we still get that money from the federal government, whether it comes from the Department of Education or somewhere else we should be okay here in Hillsborough,” Volpe said. There is insufficient information on the plans as of right now but Superintendent Volpe guaranteed he will  keep the residents of Hillsborough informed of any updates as well as the state.