The president had promised on the campaign trail to get rid of the agency and place education back with states.
WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump is expected to sign an executive order on Thursday that will facilitate the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education, taking a step toward fulfilling a campaign pledge.
The order, which has been under preparation for weeks, will be signed at a White House event with several Republican governors and state education commissioners in attendance, as confirmed by the White House. The plan was first reported by USA Today.
Trump will direct his recently confirmed Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all required steps to prepare for the closure of the Education Department and transfer its authority to the states, according to a fact sheet obtained by The Epoch Times.
According to the fact sheet, the order also aims to ensure that, throughout the process, there is no disruption in the delivery of services, programs, and benefits that Americans rely on.
“The Order also directs that programs or activities receiving any remaining Department of Education funds will not advance DEI or gender ideology,” the fact sheet stated.
The Department of Education did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
McMahon, confirmed by the Senate on March 3, said in her first message to employees—titled “Our Department’s Final Mission”—that her “vision is aligned with the president’s: to send education back to the states.”
She added, “Our job is to respect the will of the American people and the President they elected, who has tasked us with accomplishing the elimination of bureaucratic bloat here at the Department of Education—a momentous final mission—quickly and responsibly.”
The Department of Education employs about 4,240 workers.
The agency’s current form stems from a 1979 law that made it independent by splitting it from the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
“Federal government control of education has failed students, parents, and teachers,” the White House fact sheet said.
“Since its relatively recent inception in 1979, the Department of Education, which does not directly educate students, has spent over $3 trillion without improving student achievement as measured by standardized National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores.”
Trump promised on the campaign trail to abolish the Department of Education, alleging it is responsible for indoctrinating America’s youth.
On Feb. 4, Trump cited global rankings that have the United States behind many other countries, despite spending the most per student. He suggested at the time that he could work with Congress and teachers’ unions to abolish the agency but also did not rule out issuing an executive order.
This is a developing story and will be updated.