House Republicans call on Congress to return education authority to states

State Rep. Tim Kelly and the Michigan House on Thursday approved a measure urging Congress to close the U.S. Department of Education and return power to the states, local communities, and parents.

Kelly’s House Resolution 55 came hours before President Donald J. Trump signed an executive order directing Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to begin taking steps to close the department. Kelly, R-Saginaw Township, said conditions attached to federal funding limit the ability of schools and educators to teach students successfully.

“Michigan students should get a quality education that prepares them for lifelong success, but far too few kids are receiving the education they deserve,” Kelly said. “Throughout its 45-year history, the U.S. Department of Education has been part of the problem, not the solution — tying strings to critical education dollars, imposing a one-size-fits-all policy on millions of students across our country, and forcing teachers to ignore their students’ unique needs. And student performance is plummeting.

“Children in Saginaw or Saugatuck shouldn’t have their education dictated by bureaucrats sitting at desks in Washington, D.C., and big government at the federal level has only undermined students, parents, and teachers. President Trump is leading the way in returning resources and power back to states, communities, and families, and I strongly support his efforts. Congress should work with the president, abolish the federal Department of Education, and let schools get back to teaching students.”

Kelly said since its creation in 1979, the Department of Education has significantly contributed to federal overreach into education through burdensome regulations and one-size-fits-all standards. The department’s budget in 2024 was $268 billion, yet student achievement across the United States continues to plummet.

As of 2024, three out of every four Michigan fourth graders are not proficient in reading, and about four in 10 are not even reading at a basic level. Six in 10 fourth graders are not proficient in math.

The Trump administration has made clear that, in its effort to close the Department of Education and rein in overregulation, it intends to continue distributing funding and administering key programs more efficiently through other federal departments, including the enforcement of civil rights protections, education supports for students with disabilities, and Title I funding for schools in low-income areas.

“It’s time for Congress and President Trump to close the doors of the Department of Education, because getting the federal government out of the way will allow states, communities, educators, and parents to unlock new doors so students can achieve their full potential,” Kelly said.

HR 55 was adopted Thursday afternoon.