Republican Senator Mike Rounds from South Dakota recently introduced a bill in the Senate called the “Returning Education to Our States Act,” which aims to abolish the Department of Education. This move comes after President-elect Donald Trump expressed his desire to eliminate the department during his 2024 campaign.
The bill proposed by Senator Rounds would shift the responsibilities and programs currently managed by the Education Department to various other departments. Trump’s campaign promise to close down the Department of Education and return education-related matters to the states seems to be on the verge of realization with this new development.
While some experts question the president’s authority to make such a decision without congressional approval, the Republican majority in Washington, D.C., along with Senator Rounds’ bill, could potentially pave the way for this move. Senator Rounds emphasized the importance of local control in education, stating that decisions regarding students’ needs are best made at the state and local levels rather than by federal bureaucrats in the nation’s capital.
The proposed legislation outlines a plan to transfer Native American education programs to the Department of Interior, loan and grant programs to the Department of Treasury, disability programs to the Department of Health and Human Services, career programs to the Department of Labor, and the Fulbright-Hays Program to the State Department, among other changes.
This bill follows Trump’s recent announcement of nominating Linda McMahon, former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), to lead the Education Department. Trump expressed his confidence in McMahon’s ability to serve as the Secretary of Education, highlighting her previous role as the Administrator of the Small Business Administration.
Senator Rounds’ initiative aligns with the broader goal of reducing federal intervention in education and empowering states and local authorities to make decisions that directly impact students and teachers. The potential dissolution of the Department of Education could signify a significant shift in education policy and administration at the federal level.
As discussions around the future of the Department of Education continue, it remains to be seen how the proposed bill will progress through Congress and whether it will ultimately lead to the department’s abolition. The ongoing collaboration between the executive and legislative branches on this matter underscores the importance of education policy in shaping the future of the nation’s education system.