Should We Close the US Department of Education?

According to many in the Trump administration, closing the US Department of Education would increase efficiency, reduce bureaucracy, and give states more control over education.

But according to opponents of the move, closing the Department would create a bureaucratic web that would be confusing for states to navigate, weaken civil rights enforcement, and do little to raise student achievement.

Once abstract, these debates are now anything but. Since his second term began, President Trump has signed an executive order directing the Department to begin shutting itself down, the Department has cut about half of its staff, and the Department has announced several interagency agreements to shift certain federal programs to other agencies.

Against this backdrop, on this episode of The Report Card, Nat Malkus and four experts discuss and debate whether we should close the US Department of Education.

Note: This episode is adapted from the most recent installment of the American Enterprise Institute’s Education Policy Debate Series, which was held at AEI on September 2. A video recording of the debate can be found here.

Jim Blew is a co-founder of the Defense of Freedom Institute. Previously, he served as US assistant secretary for policy and budget under Betsy DeVos.

Lindsey Burke is the deputy chief of staff for policy and programs at the US Department of Education.

Ted Mitchell is the president of the American Council on Education. Previously, he served in the Obama administration as US under secretary of education.

Roberto J. Rodriguez is a Doris Duke Distinguished Visiting Fellow at Georgetown University’s McCourt School of Public Policy. Previously, he served as assistant US secretary of education for policy and planning.

This episode was produced by Elli Lucas.