House Republicans call on Congress to return education authority to states

State Rep. Ken Borton on Thursday championed a resolution urging Congress to close the United States Department of Education (Ed) and return its roles and responsibilities to the states. President Donald Trump plans to sign an executive order directing Ed Secretary Linda McMahon to begin taking steps to close the department. However, the complete closure of the department will take congressional action.

“President Trump knows that the needs of Michigan kids are different from Arkansas kids and definitely different from California kids,” said Borton, R-Gaylord. “We’ve had almost five decades of federal control of education. Where has it gotten us? The agency continues to grow, and our students continue to struggle. If we keep on the current trajectory, we’ll have a trillion-dollar agency and a bunch of high school kids who can’t even spell education.”

House Republicans say the creation of Ed in the 1980s has significantly contributed to federal overreach into education through burdensome regulations and one-size-fits-all standards. The Ed budget in 2024 was $268 billion, yet student achievement across the U.S. continues to falter. In 2024, around 40% of Michigan fourth-grade students are below a basic reading level based on national standards, the largest percentage since 2002. Similarly, one-third of eighth-grade students failed to meet national reading benchmarks, the largest percentage ever. There are more than 1.3 million students enrolled in Michigan K-12 public schools.

The Trump Administration has made clear that, in its effort to close Ed, its position is not an abandonment of programs, but instead transferring control of vital programs to other departments. For example, McMahon proposed shifting enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to the Department of Health and Human Services. McMahon also said any shuttering of Ed would be done in a way that protects essential services like Title I funding for low-income schools, Pell Grants for low-income college students, and Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

“Anyone trying to say that President Trump or Michigan Republicans are trying to cut services for special education or low-income students is flat-out lying,” Borton said. “By returning education authority to the states, we’re cutting out unnecessary bureaucracy and equipping experts at the state level to make decisions that best suit kids under their watch. We want to ensure Michigan students of all backgrounds get the best education possible.”

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