Is the Department of Education Necessary?

In a renewed push for federal government efficiency, both the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and President Donald Trump have brought the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education back into the national spotlight. Trump has long argued that federal oversight has failed to improve educational outcomes, while DOGE’s recent initiatives seek to reduce bureaucratic waste in Washington.

With education performance declining in recent years and federal spending at an all-time high, it’s the right time to ask: Has the Department of Education fulfilled its mission, and is it even necessary?

Student Performance: Has Federal Oversight Led to Better Outcomes?

Since its creation in 1979, the Department of Education was supposed to raise academic standards and improve student achievement nationwide. However, decades of federal involvement have not produced dramatic improvements in learning outcomes.

The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP)—often called the Nation’s Report Card—shows that 9-year-old students made only modest gains in reading and math between the 1970s and 2020. But those improvements happened at a glacial pace, despite federal education spending increasing nearly 500% in inflation-adjusted dollars.

More concerning is the recent decline. Between 2020 and 2022, NAEP scores dropped more sharply than at any point in modern history, erasing decades of progress. Meanwhile, other developed nations—many of which spend far less per student—continue to surpass the U.S. in math, reading, and science.

If the ED’s purpose was to elevate American education, the results suggest failure rather than success.

The Cost of Federal Involvement: A Bureaucracy That Grows but Doesn’t Deliver

One of the strongest arguments for a national education department was that it would bring efficiency and smart investment to America’s schools. Instead, federal involvement has increased costs while producing few measurable benefits.

In 1980, the Department of Education operated with a budget of approximately $16 billion (inflation-adjusted). By 2023, that budget had ballooned to $79 billion, yet student achievement has remained largely stagnant.

Where has the money gone? Much of it has been funneled into administrative growth rather than classroom instruction. Since the 1980s, the number of school administrators and bureaucrats has increased by over 700%, while teacher hiring and student enrollment have only seen modest growth. More federal control has not led to better education—it has only expanded government bureaucracy at the expense of efficiency.

Ensuring Equal Access: Is the ED the Only Way to Protect Student Rights?

Supporters of the Department of Education often argue that it protects students’ rights, particularly through Title IX enforcement, disability accommodations, and civil rights protections. While these are important functions, it’s worth noting that they existed long before the ED was created.

Prior to 1979, civil rights protections in education were enforced by the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) within the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. The existence of the Department of Education did not create new protections—it simply shifted their enforcement to a separate agency.

If the Department of Education were eliminated, these functions could easily be reassigned to another agency, ensuring continued protections without maintaining a massive federal bureaucracy.

The COVID Test: A Failure in Federal Leadership

If there was ever a time for the Department of Education to demonstrate its necessity, it was during the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of providing clear leadership, however, the ED failed to take decisive action, leaving school reopening policies entirely up to states and local districts.

This lack of leadership contributed to prolonged school closures, with American students facing some of the longest disruptions in the developed world. Countries like Sweden, Denmark, and the Netherlands reopened schools far sooner, resulting in far less learning loss. Meanwhile, U.S. students—particularly those in low-income areas—suffered historic setbacks.

If the Department of Education’s role is to ensure nationwide quality education, why did it fail to lead during one of the biggest crises in education history?

Support FYIVT Today – Choose Your Impact! Name Your Own Price to Help Us Keep Fighting for Truth and Transparency. Every Contribution Makes a Difference!

Would Education Be Worse Without the Department of Education?

One of the biggest misconceptions about abolishing the Department of Education is that it would somehow eliminate public schools. In reality, over 90% of education funding already comes from state and local sources.

Even without a federal education department, states are fully capable of managing their own education systems, setting curriculum standards, and enforcing necessary protections for students. Some of the best-performing countries—such as Finland, Switzerland, and Canada—operate without a massive federal education bureaucracy.

If anything, history suggests that education thrives when communities—not bureaucrats in Washington—make decisions. Eliminating the Department of Education would not destroy public schooling; it would simply return power to states, local districts, and parents, allowing them to create education policies that work best for their students.

Conclusion: Is the Department of Education Necessary?

The Department of Education was founded on the promise of improving student achievement, ensuring efficiency, and protecting access to quality education. More than four decades later, the results speak for themselves:

✅ Student achievement has barely improved despite massive federal investment.
✅ Bureaucratic costs have skyrocketed, with little benefit to classrooms.
✅ Civil rights protections can exist without a federal education department.
✅ The ED failed to provide strong leadership during a major education crisis.

With the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and Donald Trump both bringing renewed attention to the agency’s lack of effectiveness, the debate is no longer about whether the ED can be reformed—but whether it should exist at all.

The facts suggest that it is not only unnecessary, but a hindrance to better education policy. It’s time to return control of education to the states, local communities, and parents, where it belongs.

Dave Soulia | FYIVT

#fyivt #EducationReform #EndFederalOverreach #LocalControl

Support Us for as Little as $5 – Get In The Fight!!

Make a Big Impact with $25/month—Become a Premium Supporter!

Join the Top Tier of Supporters with $50/month—Become a SUPER Supporter!