Trump’s Secretary of Education candidate Linda McMahon recently testified before the Senate and faces tough questions about the administration’s plans to dismantle the Department of Education (DOE). Former WWE enforcer and political donor McMahon said she will work with Congress to shift the focus of the department to support educators rather than to support them.
She reassured lawmakers that Title I of funding low-income school districts will continue through legislative budgets, but programs like the Disability Education Act (IDEA) could be moved to different institutions. It was not very clear whether there was.
Despite concerns about the dismantling of the DOE, McMahon has expressed support for the continued and expansion of Pell Grants. She proposed using Pell Grants for her short-term certificate program to provide financial aid options beyond the traditional four-year university degree. Her appointment faces strong opposition from education groups and trade unions, leading to protests during Senate hearings. Nonetheless, she is likely to be confirmed by the Republican-controlled Senate.
Can the Ministry of Education be closed?
President Donald Trump has long advocated for the dismantling of the DOE, arguing that education policies should be left to the state and local governments. However, the DOE was created by Congress in 1979. This means that it will require legislative acts to dismantle it. The president cannot disband the department on an executive order alone. Even in Republican-controlled Congress, eliminating the DOE would face considerable political and logistical obstacles. Previous attempts under President Ronald Reagan have failed due to lack of support.
Will my student loan be cancelled?
For student loan borrowers who want automatic debt cancellation, the answer is probably no. A federal student loan is a legally binding financial agreement between a borrower and the government controlled by a promissory note. The elimination of DOEs does not erase these obligations. Instead, responsibility for managing federal student loans could be transferred to another institution, such as the Department of Treasury or the Consumer Financial Protection Agency.
The main concern is the future of student loan waiver programs, such as public service loan tolerance (PSLF) and income-driven repayment (IDR) plans. These programs are currently managed by the DOE and if the department is demolished, their future may be uncertain. Borrowers who rely on these programs may soon see an increase in hurdles or be eliminated entirely, despite what the Secretary of Education said during the Senate hearing.
