President Donald Trump signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education, a move aligned with long-standing conservative goals to transfer educational authority from the federal government to states and local communities.
While the president cannot completely shut down the agency without approval from Congress, the Department of Education announced earlier this month that nearly half of its staff would be cut through layoffs and voluntary buyouts. The decision, set to take effect in June, was attributed to budget reductions and the administration’s push to transfer education oversight to state and local governments.
“Today’s Executive Order is a history-making action by President Trump to free future generations of American students and forge opportunities for their success,” Trump-appointed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. “Closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on them—we will continue to support K-12 students, students with special needs, college student borrowers and others who rely on essential programs. We’re going to follow the law and eliminate the bureaucracy responsibly by working through Congress to ensure a lawful and orderly transition.”
Established in 1979, the Department of Education has played a pivotal role in enforcing civil rights laws, distributing federal funding and supporting historically marginalized students. Without a dedicated federal agency overseeing these protections, there is concern that states may not uniformly uphold civil rights in education, potentially exacerbating existing disparities.
The executive order aims to reduce the department’s functions to basic operations like administering student loans and Pell Grants. However, the redistribution or elimination of other federal funds could lead to resource disparities, affecting the quality of education in school districts with lower-income families.
HBCUs rely significantly on federal funding to support their operations and student services. The need for increased financial support has only grown following the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to strike down race-based admissions policies at predominantly white institutions. The ruling led to a surge in HBCU applications, placing added pressure on these schools to expand housing, increase scholarship opportunities and hire more faculty.
Without federal oversight ensuring consistent funding, HBCUs may struggle to accommodate the growing demand, potentially limiting access to education for thousands of Black students.
The Department of Education has been instrumental in distributing these funds. The executive order’s directive to dismantle the department raises concerns about the future of such funding streams. While the administration has stated that critical functions like student loans and Pell Grants will remain intact, the broader implications for HBCUs are uncertain, potentially affecting their ability to serve their student populations effectively.
