Trump signs executive order to start dismantling Education Department

U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Department of Education, stating that his administration is returning education back to the states.

Beyond the "core necessities," my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department," Trump said in a speech at the White House.

"We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible," Trump added.

Noting that the Department of Education is "doing us no good" – citing low proficiency in reading and math among students in U.S. elementary, middle and high schools – Trump stated that his administration is returning education to the states.

The U.S. president emphasized that the department's functions, such as Pell Grants, Title I, and funding resources for children with disabilities and special needs, will be "fully preserved" and "redistributed to various other agencies and departments."

Pell Grants are a form of federal financial aid that helps low-income undergraduate students pay for college. Title I provides federal funding to school districts and schools that serve a high percentage of students from low-income families, focusing on improving educational opportunities for disadvantaged students.

"The Trump administration is denying the next generation the resources they need to succeed in order to pay for tax breaks for billionaires. It is a betrayal to students, parents and educators," Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus Chair Representative Grace Meng and Education Task Force Chair Representative Mark Takano said in a joint statement.

"This is an unlawful decision, and Congress must not cede its authority in the face of this order," the statement continued.

Meanwhile, a majority of the American public does not support closing the department. A Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted in February found that respondents opposed shuttering the Department of Education by roughly two to one – 65 percent to 30 percent. The Reuters/Ipsos poll, which was conducted online and nationwide, surveyed 4,145 U.S. adults, and its results had a margin of error of about 2 percentage points.

The establishment and dismantling of federal agencies generally require Congressional approval through legislation. If Trump wants to shut down the Department of Education, it must go through the legislative process in Congress. It is still unclear how he will proceed with this executive order.

Trump has long criticized the Department of Education, arguing that despite significant federal investment in education, the quality of education has not met expectations, citing deficiencies in American students' skills in reading, math and other areas.

At the same time, Trump has accused the department of being filled with individuals who hold left-wing ideologies, even describing it as a hotbed of "radicals, zealots and Marxists," believing that these individuals have expanded their power through excessive guidance and regulation. He advocates for returning educational authority to the states to avoid excessive federal intervention.

The Department of Education previously initiated a large-scale layoff. According to earlier U.S. media reports, the department, which originally had 4,000 employees, would cut nearly half of its workforce. Trump said on Thursday that the "reduction in force" was successful. "We've cut the number of bureaucrats in half, 50 percent," he said.

(With input from Xinhua, Reuters)