Transforming Education: Linda McMahon’s Vision for a Future Without the Department of Education

Transforming Education: Linda McMahon’s Vision for a Future Without the Department of Education

Upon taking office as Secretary of Education, I embraced a mission unlike any previous leader had before. My goal is to oversee the responsible and permanent closure of the Department of Education itself. This undertaking is not a routine job; it represents a transformation born from the clear demand of the American people to return education control to the states, alongside the decisive election of President Donald Trump.

My history in leading a federal agency gives me a unique perspective. Previously, I steered the Small Business Administration in Trump’s first term. Established in the 1950s, this agency aimed to bolster entrepreneurial ventures and privately-owned businesses.

Throughout my tenure, as well as in years prior, the SBA achieved measurable success in supporting job creators and workers. Since 1980, the number of small businesses has doubled, generating two-thirds of new jobs in the past quarter-century. Consequently, the SBA enjoys bipartisan backing in Congress along with broad public support.

In stark contrast lies the story of education. Since the Department of Education opened in 1980, student achievement has stagnated and declined. Despite massive federal spending exceeding one trillion dollars, test scores have plateaued, and millions of students remain trapped in failing government-run schools.

Instead of focusing on genuine solutions, the Department of Education often places federal micromanagement over meaningful support for learning. It continuously requests budget increases beyond what Congress allocates without demonstrating a corresponding return on investment in student learning outcomes.

Moreover, many teachers, students, and parents struggle to identify how the department’s efforts directly benefit them. During the pandemic, before Trump’s order for federal employees to resume in-office work, numerous staff members rarely appeared at their duty stations, with some relocating hundreds of miles away from their offices. Federal oversight has become broadly unpopular; about one-quarter of teachers cite workplace regulations as a primary reason for leaving the profession.

In response to these challenges, Trump delivered a decisive directive. Through an executive order titled “Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities,” he tasked me with dismantling the ineffective bureaucracy of the Department of Education and restoring educational authority to parents and states.

Our mandate is twofold: first, we must collaboratively plan with Congress for the elimination or relocation of the Department’s functions and operations. Second, we are committed to ensuring no taxpayer funds support DEI programs or institutions that embrace these agendas.

While the elimination of the department will not happen overnight, we can immediately initiate progress. We will revise guidance documents and grant competitions to further the President’s vision of transferring education authority to local and state leaders.

As we conduct our work in compliance with the executive order, we also plan to dismantle the last administration’s DEI agenda. This transition allows us to refocus civil rights enforcement, ensuring that we protect all students from harassment and discrimination. Our commitment includes safeguarding Jewish students on prestigious campuses and female athletes across educational and athletic arenas.

Fundamental to this vision is a firm belief in our mission and leadership role. K-12 education fundamentally belongs to parents. As the primary decision-makers regarding their children’s future, parents must have the power to choose educational options free from political agendas and ensure safe environments for their children.

Students deserve an education that focuses on the fundamentals with excellence. They should be taught math, reading, and civics rooted in an accurate representation of American history. Upon graduating high school, students should be fully equipped to enter college or vocational programs that pave the path toward well-paying and fulfilling careers.

In executing the President’s directive, we will systematically dismantle unnecessary regulations and prepare to reallocate the Department’s functions to states or other agencies. This includes funding programs supporting low-income students and those with special needs, managing student financial aid, enforcing civil rights, and collecting essential data.

This initiative aims to conclude a system that has consistently over-promised and under-delivered. We are excited to empower local education leaders to transform the landscape into something significantly better.

No federal agency of this scale has ever been eliminated. This task represents a necessary correction that will ultimately liberate our schools from Washington’s constraints while fostering freedom and innovation in education. My duty as Secretary is to lead this effort transparently, honoring the will of the American people by reinstating education control to the states.

With a focus on cooperation and accountability, we envision a future where education serves the needs of students and families across the country.