AACTE Opposes Efforts to Dismantle the U.S. Department of Education

(March 12, 2025, Washington, D.C.) — On behalf of AACTE (American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education), President and CEO Cheryl Holcomb-McCoy, Ph.D., issued the following statement in response to the Trump Administration’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education and the House of Representative’s vote yesterday on a continuing resolution that supports that agenda:

The cumulative effect of the Trump Administration’s actions—the firing of employees, cancellation of grants and contracts, and plans to eliminate or transfer key services of the Department of Education—threatens the foundation of our nation’s commitment to ensuring every student has access to a high-quality education. Last night, the Trump Administration fired 1,300 Department of Education staff and the House of Representatives passed a continuing resolution that cuts non-defense spending by $15 billion and provides enormous discretion to the Trump Administration to withhold funding from most education programs. AACTE decries these actions, which imperil decades of federal efforts to promote equal access to high-quality education for all American students, and calls on the Senate to insist on a funding measure that preserves the Department of Education programs that Congress has authorized and funded.

As the only federal agency with the authority, expertise, and singular mission to support students, the Department of Education is essential in promoting student achievement, fostering educational excellence, and ensuring equal opportunity to education for all—particularly for our most vulnerable learners.

The federal government has long played a role in advancing education, recognizing its importance to our nation’s future. The original Department of Education was established in 1867 to collect data and improve schools nationwide. Over time, as education became increasingly vital to economic prosperity and global competitiveness, the federal role expanded to address inequities and ensure access to quality education for all students. Landmark legislation, such as the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965, the Higher Education Act of 1965, and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975 reinforced this commitment by providing federal funding to support vulnerable learners and uphold civil rights in education.

Recognizing the need for stronger federal leadership in education, President Jimmy Carter launched the U.S. Department of Education in 1979, and Congress officially established it as a cabinet-level agency in 1980. The Department was created to strengthen the federal commitment to equal educational opportunity, improve the coordination of federal education programs, and enhance the accountability and effectiveness of these initiatives. Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education also strips the country of critical data needed to understand how to best support students across all states. How can we effectively address learning gaps and improve outcomes without comprehensive, reliable information on student achievement? The very purpose of the Department’s founding was to ensure that every student—regardless of geography or background—had access to quality education based on informed policy and practice. Eliminating this essential federal role undermines our ability to respond to students’ needs.

Despite the department’s essential role, it is important to recognize that decisions about curriculum and instruction remain the responsibility of local school districts and state governments. The federal government does not dictate what is taught in schools; rather, it provides critical funding (e.g., Federal Pell Grants), research, and civil rights protections to ensure that all students have the opportunity to succeed.

Eliminating the Department will undermine decades of progress and leave millions of students—especially those in underserved communities—without the protections and support they need to succeed. Schools will struggle to meet students’ needs, and communities will suffer from a weakened education system that fails to prepare young people for the future. Any effort to shift these responsibilities elsewhere would inevitably diminish their effectiveness, as no other agency is structured to address the complexities of education policy, funding, and civil rights enforcement.

AACTE (the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education) strongly supports the U.S. Department of Education in continuing its mission. The Department is indispensable in ensuring that all students, regardless of background or circumstance, have access to a high-quality education. Dismantling it would be a disservice to our nation’s educators, students, and communities, leading to lasting harm for generations. Now more than ever, we must uphold and strengthen the federal role in education, not weaken it, to ensure that every child in America has the opportunity to reach their full potential.

About AACTE

Established in 1948, AACTE is the leading voice in educator preparation. AACTE’s member institutions and programs prepare the greatest number of professional educators in the United States and its territories, including teachers, counselors, administrators, and college faculty. These professional educators are prepared for careers in PK-12 classrooms, colleges and universities, state and governmental agencies, policy institutes, and non-profit organizations.  Learn more at aacte.org.

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