Myths vs. Facts: Closing the Federal Education Bureaucracy

Last month, President Trump signed his Executive Order directing Secretary McMahon to begin the process of closing the Department of Education, returning education authority back to the states. Since then, defenders of the federal education bureaucracy have disseminated considerable misinformation, chief of which is that states simply can’t educate children without federal assistance. Nothing could be further from the truth.

ALEC is fully supportive of the President’s Executive Order, which recognizes that states, not the federal government, are ultimately responsible for the education of their students. In addition to our model Resolution Supporting the Devolution of Power from the U.S. Department of Education to the States, we also encourage members of the public- and private-sectors to sign this letter of support that encourages Congress to swiftly implement provisions that effectuate the President’s action.

Below are some of the most common myths that opponents have spread, along with the truth about what will happen if the White House and Congress agree to close the department and put the states back in charge of education policy.

Myth 1: Eliminating the Department of Education means the end of public education.

Fact:  Public education in the United States is primarily a state and local responsibility, as it should be. The latest data shows that just 13.3% of total K–12 education funding comes from the federal government. States are responsible for creating education standards, authorizing school districts, hiring teachers, and designing curricula.

The Department doesn’t teach a single student directly. Closing the Department simply means shifting control of education back to states and communities, where it belongs. Eliminating the red tape associated with federal oversight means more flexibility for schools to innovate and tailor education to best meet the needs of their students.

Myth 2: Without the Department of Education, federal funding for schools and students will disappear.

Fact: Federal dollars—such as Title I funding for low-income schools and IDEA funds for students with disabilities—are allocated by Congress. Secretary McMahon already affirmed her commitment to disbursing these funds as required by law. Eventually, the administration plans to move these programs to other departments and agencies that are better equipped to manage them. For example, the White House has already stated that it would like to move the student loan portfolio to the Small Business Administration and the free-and-reduced-price-lunch program to the Department of Health and Human Services.

These moves will streamline the programs and make them more efficient, thus increasing the number of federal dollars reaching students. Federal funds that are currently consumed by administrative and compliance costs could be redirected to the states—rather than being used to sustain a bloated federal agency.

Myth 3: Essential programs like Title I and IDEA will evaporate.

Fact: Programs like Title I and IDEA are established by federal law and funded by Congress—they will not disappear if the Department of Education is closed. Instead, they will be shifted to other departments and agencies that are better equipped to manage them. In addition, as noted above, funding for these programs would transfer to other departments and agencies.

Myth 4: Dismantling the Department of Education will weaken civil rights protections for students.

Fact: Protecting students’ civil rights is crucial and the new statute will continue to do so. Civil rights protections are written into the statute and will remain in effect, regardless of whether the Department of Education or someone else (like the Department of Justice) is responsible for enforcing them. Alternatively, states themselves could take on the responsibility of managing and enforcing these laws.

Myth 5: Closing the Department of Education will lead to worse student outcomes.

Fact: The U.S. Department of Education opened its doors in 1979. Despite its involvement, 4^th and 8^th grade reading scores are lower today than they were in the early 1990s (when the federal government first started tracking these data points). Today, 40% of 4^th grade students and 33% of 8^th grade students aren’t reading at a basic level.

To improve student outcomes, we must first recognize the unique individual needs of each student. One-size-fits-all requirements from the federal government fail to recognize this fundamental reality. Instead, states will be empowered to craft the education policies that best meet the needs of their local communities.