By any objective measure, the federal Department of Education has been an utter failure. Since its creation, educational outcomes have steadily declined while spending has exploded on administration and useless distractions. When something isn’t working, do something different. People who actually care about education understand this. People who care about government jobs never cared about education. We need Congress to act, but this is a good and necessary step. Huzzah, President Trump.

US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order directing officials to begin dismantling the Department of Education, a promise he made on the 2024 campaign trail.

 

“We’re going to shut it down as quickly as possible,” Trump said after signing the order on Thursday. “It’s doing us no good.”

 

Trump has long called for the department to be axed, a cherished goal of some conservatives, but completely shutting it would require an act of Congress, which is unlikely.

 

The move is already facing legal challenges from those seeking to block the agency’s closure as well as sweeping cuts to its staff announced last week.