Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities

This executive order directs the Secretary of Education to take all legally permitted steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to states and local communities, while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of services. It also mandates that federal education funds comply with administration policy, including terminating DEI and gender ideology programs. The order does not itself dissolve the department, acknowledging congressional action would be required for full closure.

Federal Register Open PDF 90 FR 13679

Key directives

Secretary of Education shall take all necessary steps to facilitate closure of Department of Education to maximum extent permitted by law
Return education authority to states and local communities
Ensure effective and uninterrupted delivery of services, programs, and benefits
Ensure federal education funds allocated subject to rigorous compliance with federal law and Administration policy
Terminate illegal discrimination under 'diversity, equity, and inclusion' or similar labels in federally assisted programs
Terminate programs promoting gender ideology in federally assisted programs

Who is ordered

Secretary of Education · Department of Education

Timeline

Immediate

Secretary of Education directed to begin steps toward department closure
Federal education funding made subject to compliance requirements on DEI/gender ideology termination

Near term (90d)

Potential workforce reductions and restructuring planning within Department of Education
State and local agencies may begin preparing for shifted responsibilities

Long term

Possible legislative push for statutory dissolution of Department of Education
Transfer of student loan portfolio management to another entity
Devolution of federal education programs to states if legally achievable

Risks & tensions

Full department closure requires congressional action; EO alone cannot dissolve a cabinet department statutorily created in 1979
Massive student loan portfolio ($1.6T) transfer presents operational and legal complexity
'To the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law' creates uncertainty about how much can be accomplished administratively
DEI/gender ideology termination language may trigger litigation under First Amendment or administrative law
Potential disruption to Title I funding, special education services, and Pell Grants if implementation rushed
Workforce reduction of ~4,000+ employees would face civil service protections and potential legal challenges