WASHINGTON: Throughout his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump heaped scorn on the federal Department of Education, describing it as being infiltrated by \u201d radicals, zealots and Marxists.\u201d
\nHe has picked Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive, to lead the department. But like many conservative politicians before him, Trump has called for dismantling the department altogether \u2014 a cumbersome task that likely would require action from Congress.
\nThe agency\u2019s main role is financial. Annually, it distributes billions in federal money to colleges and schools and manages the federal student loan portfolio. Closing the department would mean redistributing each of those duties to another agency. The Education Department also plays an important regulatory role in services for students, ranging from those with disabilities to low-income and homeless kids.
\nIndeed, federal education money is central to Trump\u2019s plans for colleges and schools. Trump has vowed to cut off federal money for schools and colleges that push \u201ccritical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content\u201d and to reward states and schools that end teacher tenure and enact universal school choice programs.
\nFederal funding makes up a relatively small portion of public school budgets \u2014 roughly 14 percent. Colleges and universities are more reliant on it, through research grants along with federal financial aid that helps students pay their tuition.
\nHere is a look at some of the department\u2019s key functions, and how Trump has said he might approach them.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
WASHINGTON: Throughout his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump heaped scorn on the federal Department of Education, describing it as being infiltrated by \u201d radicals, zealots and Marxists.\u201d He has picked Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive, to lead the department. But like many conservative politicians before him, Trump has called for dismantling the department altogether \u2014 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":444628,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-444616","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world"},"yoast_head":"\n