Just over a month into his second term, President Donald Trump already enacted various new policies aligned with his legislative agenda. Among his stated plans are to abolish several long-standing establishments within the government.

The US Department of Education is one of those organizations expected to look quite different in a Trump presidency. Specifically, President Trump signed an executive order on March 21 calling for preparation of the department’s closure.

To lead his education initiatives, Trump selected World Wrestling Entertainment CEO Linda McMahon to head the Department of Education.

“The opportunity before us these next four years is momentous,” McMahon said in her confirmation hearing address. “I look forward to working with this committee, our nation’s parents, teachers, and students, and education leaders from all political perspectives to build a better future for every American learner.”

Abolishing the Department of Education will likely take an act of Congress, according to many legal scholars, and is not solely dependent on the President’s executive powers. This means that it will take time to see the effects of these acts, if they happen at all.

Before examining how this will affect school districts like Spring-Ford, it is important to first understand what the Department of Education even does.

A common misconception is that the Department of Education fully funds schools, or is responsible for the curriculum. In reality, most money given to public schools comes from state and local taxes. Additionally, federal law prohibits any federal employee from influencing instructional content or curricula.

So what does the department actually do? The Department of Education is mainly responsible for three things: protecting students’ civil rights, sending money to schools in need, and managing the student loan system on a federal level.

Examples of protecting students are the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which promotes the education of students with disabilities in schools, and Title I of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (formerly known as No Child Left Behind), which is applicable towards students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, those speaking limited English, children of indigenous descent, and children who are neglected.

Education officials have expressed concern cuts to these programs could adversely affect students.

“America is about progress,” said Betsy Pringle, president of the National Education Association, in a story from the New York Times. “We know that we are still a work in progress, and my concern – and it is a real concern – is that we are going back to a time when certain students were left alone in a corner somewhere and not getting the services that they needed.”

President Trump has already started to cut spending by abolishing programs for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI programs), which could have impacts on our school environment in the future. The President has also threatened to cut off schools that allow transgender students to compete in sports for their preferred gender, schools that mandate COVID-19 vaccines, and schools that have race-based programming, meaning we could see a change in policy in the future.

As stated before, the Department of Education also sends additional money to schools struggling financially, which do not get sufficient funds from the state and local governments. However, Spring-Ford is located in Montgomery County and the eastern-central part of Chester County, which (as of 2020) are the two of the wealthiest counties in Pennsylvania, meaning Spring-Ford receives a good amount of funding from local taxpayers, and is not heavily dependent on federal funding.

Every state, including Pennsylvania, receives funds to enable the education of various students through the programs mentioned above. Abolishing the Department of Education could mean that Spring-Ford ceases to see the benefits of those programs – such as funding for Special Education – and will have to make budgetary changes in order to make up the difference.

Additionally, the Department of Education is responsible for funding post-secondary education through Pell grants and student loans. This is incredibly important for all students planning to pursue education after high school, because college tuition is increasingly unaffordable without a grant or loan of some kind. This also might include the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which, according to USA.gov, helps to inform students whether or not they are “eligible for grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and loans for college or career school.” President Trump indicated on March 21 that he would transfer responsibilities for student loans to the Small Business Administration.

In short, since Spring-Ford is not heavily dependent on federal aid, and we will likely not see drastic changes to our district. Additionally, even if the Department of Education is abolished, spending programs might be relocated to different departments within the government, meaning schools might still receive this funding.

However, students planning to pursue higher education might find it a little bit harder if President Trump succeeds in his plan to cut federal spending through the Department of Education.

It’s clear education will look different in a Trump presidency, how different is yet to be determined due to multiple factors.