Trump Moves to Dissolve Education Dept; Would Need Congress to Approve

President Donald Trump is moving to dissolve the U.S. Department of Education, an action that would require Congressional approval.

Key Details:The Executive Order calling for Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to close the department could come as early as Thursday. The Education Department, which was established under President Jimmy Carter in 1979, has about 4,500 employees and is the smallest cabinet-level agency. It oversees education policy and administers funding for programs and individuals.

Key Quote: According to those familiar with a draft of the order, the document states, "The Federal bureaucratic hold on education must end. The Department of Education's main functions can, and should, be returned to the States."

For Context: Any proposed legislation seeking to fulfill Trump's campaign promise to shut down the Education Department would likely fail without 60 votes in the U.S. Senate.

How the Media Covered It: ABC News (Lean Left bias) noted that critics argue that the department "holds schools accountable for enforcing nondiscrimination laws" and its elimination could allow high-need students to be left behind. Supporters of efforts to close down the Education Department claim that federal spending has failed students and does not match adequate results on exams like the National Assessment of Educational Progress, known as "the nation's report card."