Trump’s Education Overhaul Empowers States to Lead the Way: Jonathan Williams on The Hugh Hewitt Show
The overall goal is to see states and ultimately parents and families empowered when it comes to education.
Arlington, VA—President Donald Trump’s executive order, signed Thursday night to dismantle the Department of Education has sparked a national conversation about the future of schooling. ALEC President and Chief Economist Jonathan Williams explained why this was a triumph for states, students, parents, and teachers on his latest interview with host Hugh Hewitt.
For Williams, this is the culmination of a decades-long battle.
“The overall goal of getting out of this failed approach of doing education at the federal level — that was the unfinished business of Ronald Reagan. Now, it is being courageously addressed by Donald Trump and by members in the US House and Senate,” he said.
The timing aligns with sobering data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), which Williams cited: “More than 70% of eighth graders can’t do math or reading at grade level. The definition of insanity is doing something over and over again and expecting a different result.”
ALEC, which represents thousands of state lawmakers, has been a driving force behind what Williams calls an “education freedom revolution.” Just days ago, the number of states offering universal education freedom—where parents direct funds to schools of their choice—reached 15. ALEC members also recently approved the model Resolution Supporting Devolution of Power from the U.S. Department of Education to the States.
“ALEC and our partners have been a key part of that. Our legislators are leading the way,” he said. The executive order amplifies this trend, pushing states to innovate while challenging Congress, led by Speaker Mike Johnson and Senate Majority Leader John Thune, to codify the changes.
Williams acknowledged the need for “a robust discussion around balance of powers,” but stressed “nearly unanimous support” from legislators he has consulted.
“The overall goal is we want to see states and ultimately parents and families empowered,” he said. “Let states act as laboratories of democracy.”