The Trump Administration wants to dismantle the Department Of Education (ED) because they view it as a waste of resources. The Department of Education was created and officially began in 1980 to ensure equality in education, and an increase of academic achievements. Later, in 1990, congress created the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). IDEA became part of the ED, making public education accessible to qualified individuals with disabilities. IDEA greatly impacts students’ abilities to learn and understand information, as it was intended, through accommodations. IDEA funds these accommodations and evaluates schools to make sure the money is being used solely for these students. Consequently, dismantling the ED will create disadvantages to disabled students, disincluding the exact reasons ED was created.
The reasons the Trump Administration wants to dismantle the Department of Education are farcical. They believe it has been failing citizens, educationally and financially. A statistic given by the White House showed the 1970s spending has increased 245% (Fact sheet..). Since the 1970’s, minimum wage has also increased 353.1%, showing the increase of spending is just catching up with the times. On top of this, 3rd graders’ math and English scores have decreased substantially making it the lowest it has been in years (Fact sheet….). Overall, they believe it’s a waste of money since students are doing poorly in school.
Although scores are declining, the purpose of the ED isn’t to educate students, it helps finance accommodations for students in public schools. Every year, 90 billion dollars is given to the ED. 44.18% of that is used for students with disabilities. 90 billion dollars seems like a lot, but breaking it down doesn’t seem like a financial burden. Right now in the US, there are 161 million taxpayers which means they each pay $1.5 a day supporting the ED. Although it can be interpreted based on income. This money pays for 7.5 million disabled students. Through this money, a lot of these students will grow up and become a crucial part of society. With an education, they are able to get paying jobs, become tax payers, and help out in their community. A single high school diploma can help groups of people out by decreasing unemployment rates, increasing economic stability, gaining skill developments, and so many more life long skills. In the 2024 stats sheet it goes over how the money is spent. IDEA part B, which represents special education services, gets 16.8 billion dollars. IDEA part C grants Early Intervention services 932 million dollars. IDEA part C, for at risk children, gets 200 million. IDEA part D, for Training special needs education, obtains 300 million. Lastly, IDEA part D, for military connected children with disabilities, gets 20 million dollars (Fiscal Year….). Altogether, a lot of money is being put towards ED, it’s going towards great causes that build up children’s futures by allowing them access to education, and eventually becoming a part of the working society.
The Department of Education helps students grow their knowledge by funding different accommodations. If it becomes dismantled, these students will be greatly affected, destroying their school careers and disenabling them to learn like how IDEA intended. Taking away these accommodations is like taking away the rights disabled people got in 1990, after the Americans With Disability Act was passed (Educators voice…). These accommodations include smaller class sizes, reading specialists, mental health counseling, educated teachers, inclusive classrooms, and many more (How Dismantling….). Without these accommodations, these students will have a harder time learning and understanding. Unfortunately, this leads to bad grades, inequalities, and many health problems like depression and anxiety. On top of this, if a student has a behavioral issue, which can’t be controlled because it’s often them communicating, they want to be able to have a chance at education. As of now, people 3-21 who have been suspended or expelled from school for reasons involving behavioral issues can get access to education because of the financing schools get to help them (Individuals With…). If the ED gets dismantled, how will these students get their education? Especially if low income households can’t pay out of pocket for special education (How dismantling…).
Instead of the ED giving money to the schools, the Trump Administration wants to directly give the schools their money. However, seeming like a harmless plan, it can actually cause more inequality. The ED provides each state with 15 million dollars to support accommodations. While also evaluating schools to make sure the money is being used solely for these purposes (Cutting the…). Without the ED evaluating these schools, how will we know if the money is being spent fairly.
Although dismantling the ED affects students with disabilities, it also will affect the community around them. In an article posted by PBS a teacher went on to say class sizes will get bigger and more chaotic, due to budget cuts, lowering students’ education, and levels pushing back on achievements. (Educators voice…). Teachers and students both with and without disabilities will suffer from the lack of education being placed, the increased number of children per room, and the decrease of teachers able to professionally teach.
Therefore, dismantling the Department of Education is foolish, it would take away rights gained only 36 years ago, and affect millions of students and families nationwide. The Department of Education doesn’t waste its money like the government is initiating, as 44% of the money goes towards those who actually need it. After all, it will eventually come back to society beneficially.
Sources:
https://www.elc-pa.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/EDImpactsStudentswithDisabilities2025.pdf
https://www.ed.gov/laws-and-policy/civil-rights-laws/disability-discrimination/frequently-asked-questions-section-504-free-appropriate-public-education-fape
https://sites.ed.gov/idea/topic-areas/#FAPE
https://www.newamerica.org/insights/cutting-the-us-department-of-education-harms-millions-of-students-with-disabilities/
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/classroom/classroom-voices/educator-voices/2025/03/educator-voice-how-dismantling-the-department-of-education-would-affect-teachers-and-students#:~:text=There%20will%20be%20little%20to,they%20are%20expelled%20from%20school.
https://www.ed.gov/sites/ed/files/about/overview/budget/budget24/summary/24summary.pdf
https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/03/fact-sheet-president-donald-j-trump-empowers-parents-states-and-communities-to-improve-education-outcomes/
