The NPR Politics Podcast Trump Plows Ahead With Plans To Dismantle Department Of Education
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Jul 17, 2025 
Sequoia Carrillo, an NPR education reporter, dives into the contentious landscape of U.S. education policy under the Trump administration. She discusses the federal government's decision to withhold $6 billion in education grants, sparking lawsuits from two dozen states. The implications for local school districts are severe, particularly with the Supreme Court's endorsement of layoffs at the Department of Education. The conversation also touches on the lack of Republican resistance to educational reforms and the dire financial impacts on schools, especially in rural areas.
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What Dept. of Education Does
- The U.S. Department of Education mainly manages federal funding and civil rights enforcement in education.
- It does not control classroom teaching content or methods, due to federal restrictions.
Impact of Layoffs on Education Dept.
- The Department of Education layoffs mostly impacted civil rights attorneys, financial aid, and education research staff.
- These cuts likely slow student aid services and civil rights enforcement at schools.
Plans to Reshape Education Funding
- The administration intends to eliminate the Department of Education but keep key funding like Title I and special education.
- Many other programs, especially those promoting multilingualism, are targeted for cuts or restructuring.