Commentary
In 2025, the U.S. Department of Education is expected to undergo significant transformation. Proposed legislation by South Dakota Sen. Mike Rounds aims to abolish the department, while a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy seeks to streamline federal bureaucracy.
The future role of the Department of Education remains uncertain. It may be restructured, diminished in influence, or relegated to a sub-Cabinet regulatory level. However, dismantling the department entirely is unlikely due to the legislative process required.
Learning From Past Mistakes
Understanding the history of education in the U.S. government is essential for reform. The Department of Education has evolved over 150 years, from a small office in 1867 to a Cabinet-level agency in 1980.
Efforts to eliminate the department in the past, such as President Reaganâs campaign pledge in 1980, were unsuccessful. Subsequent administrations, like President Bushâs focus on standardized testing with No Child Left Behind, have had mixed results in improving student outcomes.
Under the Obama administration, oversight of the Department of Education expanded with programs like Race to the Top Grants and the Every Student Succeeds Act. However, their impact on student outcomes remains unclear.
Today, the Department of Education has a significant budget and employee count, raising questions about the effectiveness of federal education spending.
Popular Federal Programs
Several federal programs with bipartisan support, like Head Start and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, should be preserved and potentially reassigned to other agencies for better administration.
Programs like the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education and Title I Elementary and Secondary Education Act appropriations also play crucial roles in education and require thoughtful policy decisions.
Americaâs Education Mission Drift
While education is vital for self-government, the federal government lacks constitutional authority over education policy. Education in the U.S. is primarily governed by state constitutions, highlighting the limitations of federal involvement in education.
The Department of Educationâs influence has expanded significantly, leading to a shift in the primary purpose of education. This âmission driftâ has resulted in the replacement of direct academic instruction with unproven theories, fads, and political ideologies. Recent data from the Program for International Student Assessment (PISA) indicates that American students are falling behind in reading, mathematics, and science compared to their peers in other countries.
For instance, the 2022 PISA results showed that American students scored lower than the average in 25 out of 80 countries in mathematics. Nations like Korea, Vietnam, and the United Kingdom outperformed the U.S. in various subjects. To address these challenges, suggestions and recommendations have been proposed, including reducing the Department of Educationâs influence, promoting school choice and charter schools, and transferring certain responsibilities to other government departments.
These reforms aim to improve the quality of education in the U.S. and empower parents in their childrenâs upbringing. The future impact of these changes remains to be seen, but they have the potential to bring about positive transformation in Americaâs education system.
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