Dismantling the Department of Education? Trump's plan for schools in his second term

Former President Donald Trump -- now projected to beryllium nan adjacent president of nan United States -- has projected sweeping betterment for nan nation's educational systems.

Here's a look astatine what areas of acquisition his 2nd word mightiness impact:

Department of Education

Trump's Agenda47 run projected eliminating nan Department of Education -- which, according to nan DOE website, "establishes argumentation for, administers and coordinates astir national assistance to education."

The DOE, established by President Jimmy Carter, provides programs specified arsenic Title I backing for low-achieving aliases high-poverty K-12 schools successful request of support, arsenic good arsenic Pell Grants for undergraduate students successful precocious financial need.

Throughout Trump's first presidency, he projected billions successful cuts to nan Department of Education's budget.

In a run video, Trump said he wants states -- not nan national authorities -- to person power complete schools.

However, he has besides outlined plans to further restrict contented aliases schoolroom chat successful schools based connected guidelines that would beryllium executed astatine nan national level.

Republican statesmanlike nominee and erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump gestures arsenic he stands connected shape pinch his woman Melania, his boy Barron and Lara Trump astatine Trump's rally successful West Palm Beach, Florida, Nov. 6, 2024.

Brian Snyder/Reuters

Content restrictions

Trump's run has outlined a scheme that features dream successful nationalist schools, an description of parental authorities successful education, patriotism arsenic a centerpiece of acquisition and an accent connected nan "American Way of Life."

He has besides called for nan dismantling of diverseness initiatives successful acquisition and national backing cuts for schools aliases programs that characteristic “critical title theory, gender ideology aliases different inappropriate racial, intersexual aliases governmental content." Republican-backed authorities crossed nan state has likewise sought to limit these topics, and nan efforts person been criticized for being vague and starring to "censorship" successful schools and classrooms connected topics concerning race, gender and politics.

Similar policies and rhetoric against schoolhouse contented concerning race, gender, activity and much person coincided pinch nan removal of much than 10,000 books from room shelves complete nan 2023-2024 schoolhouse year, according to nan free-expression defense group PEN America.

Trump has besides suggested that he would create a caller credentialing assemblage to certify teachers "who clasp patriotic values and support nan American Way of Life" and reinstate his administration's 1776 Commission to align nan school of history pinch nan "values" of nan founding of nan United States -- though Agenda47 does not elaborate further connected what specified values are aliases specify nan criteria for embracing nan "American Way of Life."

Republican statesmanlike nominee, erstwhile U.S. President Donald Trump points to supporters pinch erstwhile first woman Melania Trump during an predetermination nighttime event, Nov.6, 2024, successful West Palm Beach, Florida.

Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

School choice

Trump besides backs nationwide cosmopolitan schoolhouse prime programs, which let a student's allotment of nationalist acquisition costs to beryllium transferred to nonpublic schooling options -- including backstage schools aliases homeschooling.

This comes arsenic voters successful 3 states -- Nebraska, Kentucky and Colorado -- person rejected efforts to codify aliases grow this benignant of schoolhouse choice.

Teacher salary and tenure

Trump's Agenda47 besides anticipates an extremity to coach tenure laws. These laws are described by nan United Federation of Teachers arsenic authorities laws that forestall a schoolhouse territory from dismissing a tenured coach without owed process. Most states person tenure laws successful place; however, astatine slightest 10 states person zero aliases constricted tenure laws, according to nan National Education Association.

He besides said he will adopt a merit salary for teachers. Some studies person shown that merit salary programs amended student outcomes, but critics reason location is not capable grounds and that various factors impact student performance -- including backing and assets inequity.

Higher education

Trump's schedule for higher acquisition includes creating a new, free assemblage called nan "American Academy" and money it by "taxing, fining and suing" backstage universities.