President Trump signs executive order to dismantle Department of Education

WASHINGTON - President Donald Trump took his first legislative step toward eliminating the Department of Education on Thursday, signing an executive order to begin dismantling the decades-old federal agency. 

The move fulfills a long-held campaign promise. 

The Trump administration says the department has a bad report card on the number one thing it’s supposed to do: improve education in America.

"Look they would let an F if we were to grade them on their educational impact on educational outcomes. There’s simply been no improvement," said Lindsey Burke with the Heritage Foundation.

By the numbers:

The National Center for Education Progress’s annual Nation's Report Card shows that in 2004, 68 percent of eighth graders scored at the basic math level. In 2024, that number fell to 61 percent. Similarly in 2004, 74 percent of eighth graders scored at the basic reading level and in 2024 that fell to 67 percent. 

Critics of the Department of Education say math and reading scores for 13-year-olds are at the lowest level in decades and standardized test scores have remained flat for decades. 

At the White House on Thursday, Trump said he’s returning education decisions to the states, which he says are best positioned to make decisions and deliver programs to improve student achievement.

The other side:

Outside the Department of Education, college students began a school desk sit-in. They say they’re worried about the future of their student loans, and if programs they depend on will be cut, moved or eliminated altogether.

"If the American people really disliked the Department of Education, Trump wouldn’t need to game the system," one protester said.

"Republicans are doing this saying they’re increasing efficiency when in reality they’re taking money away from students," said another.

Critics of Trump’s move say they’re worried about what happens now to the education programs the department administers, such as student loans and financial aid, civil rights enforcement and college accreditation.

St. Peter’s University Professor Alain Sanders tells FOX 5 that the elimination of the department has caused student anxiety to soar.

"Surely students who are considering college are feeling a little bit lost right now as to what this is all going to mean," Sanders said. 

What's next:

While the president’s executive order directs Education Secretary Linda McMahon to wind down department operations. However, because Congress created the Department of Education, lawmakers would still need to approve eliminating it.