Trump preparing to sign executive order to begin closing Department of Education

• President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order directing new Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin steps to close the U.S. Department of Education, though Congress would need to act for complete closure.
• McMahon, confirmed by Congress on Monday, noted that the shutdown would require congressional approval.
• Trump has criticized the U.S. education system and expressed a desire for states to manage schools.

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President Donald Trump is preparing to sign an executive order directing the new secretary of education, Linda McMahon, to begin the process of closing the U.S. Department of Education, according to reports.

Congress confirmed McMahon on Monday, March 3.

During her confirmation hearing, McMahon said shutting down the Department of Education would require an act of Congress.

“Yes, it is set up by the United States Congress, and we work with Congress. It clearly cannot be shut down without it,” she said to Sen. Bernie Sanders, D-Vt.

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When Trump chose McMahon to lead the Education Department, he told reporters that he wanted McMahon to “put herself out of a job.”

Trump told reporters the country spends more per pupil than any other country, and the United States ranks “very badly” in education compared to other countries. He said he wants states to run the schools.

How is the United States doing in education globally?

The United States ranks No. 8 out of 41 other democratic countries, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

The other countries also participate in the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA), which is an international assessment that measures reading, math and science literacy of 15-year-old students every three years.

According to PISA’s latest data, released in 2022, the United States score for reading literacy was 504, while the average score was 476. Ireland and Japan tied at the top with a score of 516.

The U.S. score for science proficiency was 499, which was higher than the average of 485. Japan had the highest score of 547.

The U.S. score for math was 465, lower than the average score of 472. Japan had the highest score at 536.

The 2022 scores were all lower than 2018’s assessment.

What is Trump’s plan?

The White House schedule shows Trump is set to sign executive orders around 2 p.m. Eastern time, and The Wall Street Journal reports that the order recognizes Congress would have to act in order to completely abolish the Education Department.

The order reportedly directs Secretary McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department” based on “the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law,” WSJ reports.

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In a letter by McMahon dated March 3, she wrote, “My vision is aligned with the president’s: to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children. As a mother and grandmother, I know there is nobody more qualified than a parent to make educational decisions for their children.”