History of United States Department of Education in Timeline

The United States Department of Education is a cabinet-level department of the US government, established in 1980. It was created after the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare was divided by the Department of Education Organization Act, signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1979. The department aims to establish policies on federal financial aid for education, distribute and monitor those funds, and collect data on America's schools. ED is the official abbreviation, while "DoEd" is an informal abbreviation.

2024: Department Budget

In 2024, the US Department of Education's budget was approximately $268 billion with $79,052,238 in discretionary spending. The department maintains approximately $1.7 trillion in federal student loan debt.

March 3, 2025: Linda McMahon sworn in as the nation's 13th Secretary of Education

On March 3, 2025, Linda McMahon was sworn in as the nation's 13th Secretary of Education. Both President Trump and McMahon expressed the objective of closing the Department of Education.

March 11, 2025: Department of Government Efficiency announces it would fire nearly half the Department of Education's workforce

On March 11, 2025, the Department of Government Efficiency announced it would fire nearly half the Department of Education's workforce.

March 2025: Student Loan Portfolio Size

As of March 2025, the department oversees approximately $1.6 trillion in outstanding loans for over 40 million borrowers.

March 2025: Trump signs executive order to begin dismantling of the Department of Education

In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order which would begin the dismantling of the Department of Education, eliminating the Office of Educational Technology, and raising new questions for public schools and parents.

March 2025: Senators and Representatives Respond to Department Restructuring

In March 2025, Senators Elizabeth Warren, Bernie Sanders, and other Democratic senators opposed mass layoffs, urging Education Secretary McMahon to reinstate employees. Representative Bobby Scott expressed concerns that dismantling the department would worsen existing disparities and disadvantage vulnerable student populations.

March 2025: Multiple polls show two-thirds of Americans oppose closing the Department of Education

In March 2025, multiple polls showed that roughly two-thirds of Americans oppose the idea of closing the Department of Education. Educators believe the federal government plays an important role in American education. The National Education Association (NEA) says that stripping the department of its resources would negatively impact the millions of students in low-income communities who need educational services and support.

March 2025: Department announces plan to reduce its workforce by half

In March 2025, the US Department of Education announced a plan to reduce its workforce by half.

March 20, 2025: Trump directs closure of the Department of Education via executive order

On March 20, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Secretary of Education to "facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities". However, closing the department requires Congressional approval.

March 21, 2025: Trump Announces Department Restructuring

On March 21, 2025, President Trump announced a plan to move the management of the federal student loan portfolio and "special needs" programs from the Department of Education to other departments, with the Small Business Administration taking over student loans and the Department of Health and Human Services assuming responsibility for special needs and nutrition programs.

April 2025: Department of Education to resume garnishment of wages of student debtors

In April 2025, Linda McMahon announced that the Department of Education would resume garnishment of the wages of student debtors whose loans are in default.

May 22, 2025: Mass layoff blocked by U.S. district judge

On May 22, 2025, U.S. district judge Myong Joun in Boston blocked the mass layoff and the dismantle attempt.

November 2025: McMahon argues federal agencies/state governments can handle Department of Education's grantmaking/informational work

In November 2025, Linda McMahon argued on social media that other federal agencies or state governments could take on the grantmaking and informational work that was currently performed by the Education Department.

2025: Project 2025 deals heavily with the closure of the Department of Education

In 2025, Project 2025, a Heritage Foundation policy plan, deals heavily with the closure of the Department of Education, mass privatization of public schools, ending subsidized and free school lunches, creating a conservative school curriculum for all public schools, and the layoffs of millions of public employed teachers.

2025: Department budget at about four percent of total US federal spending

In 2025, the Department of Education's budget was about four percent of the total US federal spending.

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