Statement on Dismantling the Department of Education
March 20, 2025
RALEIGH — Donald Bryson, President and CEO of the John Locke Foundation, issued the following statement in response to President Donald Trump’s executive order directing the closure of the U.S. Department of Education:
"Today’s executive order from President Trump signifies a deliberate attempt to restore educational authority to the states and eliminate a federal bureaucracy that has long burdened local school systems with costly and unnecessary mandates. Education is, at its core, a state and local responsibility, and North Carolina is more than capable of determining how best to educate its students without interference from Washington.
For decades, the U.S. Department of Education has imposed regulations and compliance costs that often exceed the federal funding states receive. By removing this bureaucracy, we open the door for greater flexibility, innovation, and accountability in education policy—allowing parents, teachers, and local leaders to craft solutions that best serve their communities.
Shuttering the Department of Education would not mean all federal education funding would end. The most effective way to continue supporting education while respecting state sovereignty is to block grant federal education funds directly to states. A block grant system provides state and local leaders the greatest flexibility to address their unique needs—without requiring a federal agency to micromanage how those dollars are spent.
While today’s order is a noteworthy milestone, in order for the Department to close, Congress must follow through and take legislative action. Until then, this remains an ongoing effort to return power to the states and put students first.
The John Locke Foundation has long championed state and local control over education decisions. We would welcome a proposal from Congress to transition federal education funding to a block grant system."
