On March 20, 2025, Trump signed an executive order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education while urging Congress to abolish it outright. In March 2025, the agency fired almost 1,400 employees, reducing its workforce to roughly half its size at inauguration. Secretary Linda McMahon made clear since her confirmation that her goal is to 'put herself out of a job" by dismantling the department. In November 2025, the administration announced it would transfer core agency functions to four other federal offices, though this faced legal challenges.
The dismantling advances Project 2025's goal of eliminating federal oversight of education, threatening special education protections, Title IX enforcement, student loan programs, and educational equity initiatives.