In 1965, prior to the Office of Education being established as an independent agency, it boasted a workforce of over 2,000 employees and operated with a budget of $1.5 billion. Fast forward to mid-2010, and the department had expanded its staff to nearly 4,300 individuals, managing a budget of approximately $60 billion. Its scope of duties is extensive, ranging from assisting low-income students in financing their college education to overseeing a student loan portfolio valued at close to $2 trillion, which competes with the assets held by major financial institutions.
Throughout the years, from the tenure of President Reagan to the administration of President Trump, the agency has encountered various challenges. Over the past few decades, every sitting president, including Trump, has leveraged the Education Department as a platform to advance education policy initiatives. However, these efforts often face revision or reversal with the transition to a new presidential administration.
Despite prevailing skepticism among Washington insiders regarding the likelihood of any legislation aimed at dismantling the department passing through the narrow GOP majority in Congress, the Trump administration has indicated a readiness to reduce its scope of operations and funding allocation. Former Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who was appointed by Trump to spearhead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” alongside billionaire Elon Musk, has vowed to eliminate what he perceives as unnecessary expenditure within the federal government, including within the Education Department.
In a statement posted on X in November, Ramaswamy criticized the Department of Education, accusing it of mismanagement of funds without sufficient oversight. He pinpointed unelected officials within the department as a fundamental issue in need of addressing. Notably, following President Carter’s defeat in the 1980 election to his Republican successor, a similar promise to shutter the agency was made, mirroring President Joe Biden’s recent remarks on the matter. However, this commitment was never fulfilled.
Zachary Schermele, an education reporter associated with USA TODAY, is a key contributor to this examination of the Education Department’s evolution and the ongoing political challenges it faces. For inquiries or further information, please contact him via email at zschermele@usatoday.com or follow his updates on X at @ZachSchermele. This analysis was originally published on USA TODAY, exploring the motivations behind President Trump’s intent to dismantle a significant achievement of former President Jimmy Carter.
