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Reactions to Trump’s Executive Order to Dismantle the U.S. Department of Education

Following President Donald Trump’s March 20, 2025, executive order directing the closure of the U.S. Department of Education, leaders across Illinois and the nation swiftly responded with concern, criticism, and calls to action. The move, which would dramatically reduce the federal government’s role in public education, has drawn sharp opposition from elected officials, educators, and advocacy groups who fear devastating impacts on students, schools, and communities. Below is a compilation of statements from key voices reacting to the controversial order.

Gov. Pritzker’s Statement on Trump’s Executive Order to Dismantle the Department of Education

JB Pritzker Gov Logo

March 20, 2025 – CHICAGO – Today, Governor JB Pritzker released the following statement regarding Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the Department of Education:

“President Trump has no plan to improve literacy, math scores, or get more teachers on the job. When Donald Trump attacks education, he is failing America because the success of our students is what will make our economy, future, and nation stronger.

“Eliminating the Department of Education will likely have harsh and immediate impacts on Illinois’ students. It will harm students and their families in rural communities who rely on federal funding to keep their schools open. It will remove supports students with disabilities and special needs rely upon. And low-income students who depend on Pell Grants to earn their college degrees will be forced to drop out.

“Making preschool more available, college degrees more affordable, and college readiness for K-12 students more attainable has been a primary focus of my administration. Our schools need more support not less, and we’ve made progress in Illinois: the recently released Nation’s Report Card shows that despite the setbacks of the pandemic, our state’s eighth graders have the second highest reading scores fifth highest math scores in the United States. And Illinois’ high school graduation rate is the highest in 14 years.

“Education is foundational to the success of our people, our state and the future of America. Our schools serve as centers of community, feed our children, and prepare them for careers that fuel our economy. We must empower our teachers and students to succeed – no matter their background and across every rural, suburban, and urban area in Illinois.

“All the best research shows that focusing dollars on our children is one of the most fiscally responsible investments we can make: it reduces future expenditures and offers one of the highest returns on investment. It yields a higher high school graduation rate, a higher college attendance rate, greater lifetime earnings, lower healthcare costs, lower crime rates, and an overall reduction in the need for human services spending. Nowhere is this more evident than with the students who have historically been left out and left behind. Investing in our children’s education pays off—and it’s the right thing to do.”

IMPACTS IN ILLINOIS

Dismantling the Department of Education will set back schools and students in Illinois by creating uncertainty about the federal administration due to potential cuts to:

  • Federal Education Funding: Public schools in Illinois are expecting $3.56 billion in federal funds in Fiscal Year 2025 serving 1.8 million students, accounting for $1,923 per student. ​
  • Special Education Funding: Illinois is expecting to use $1.33 billion in federal funding in Fiscal Year 2025 to support more than 295,000 children receiving special education services.
  • Pell Grants: In the 2023-2024 academic year, more than 225,000 students in Illinois received over $1 billion in Pell Grants to assist with educational expenses. Pell Grants help make college more affordable and accessible for students from low-income households, contributing to the economic mobility of students and families across our state.
  • Student Loan Programs: Illinois has 1.6 million student loan borrowers who rely on the federal government to ensure affordable monthly payments and timely processing of applicable loan forgiveness programs. Dismantling the Department of Education threatens to send Illinois’ most vulnerable borrowers into default.

GOV. PRITZKER’S SUPPORT FOR PUBLIC EDUCATION

Since taking office, Governor Pritzker has improved Illinois education by:

Early Childhood Education

K-12 Education

Post-Secondary Education

Durbin Statement On Trump Executive Order To Demolish The Department Of Education

SPRINGFIELD – U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after President Trump signed an Executive Order to demolish the U.S. Department of Education:

“President Trump’s dangerous demagoguery knows no bounds. Shredding the Department of Education, a federal agency dedicated to the success of the next generation, is depraved and deeply damaging to the future of this country.

“Trump’s formula for American greatness: Eliminate federal aid to schools and cut medical research. What a fool.”

Funding and support from the U.S. Department of Education in Illinois includes:

Critical annual K-12 funding to Illinois to meet the needs of 4,000 K-12 schools and over two million K-12 students, including:

  • $652 million in annual funding for 295,000 students with disabilities – reflecting 15 percent of Illinois’s student population.
  • $778 million in annual funding for schools enrolling 1.3 million students from low-income backgrounds – reflecting 65 percent of Illinois’s student population.
  • $30 million in annual funding for about 240,000 English learners – reflecting 12 percent of Illinois’s student population.
  • $57 million in annual funding to support safe and healthy students and provide a well-rounded education.
  • $54 million in annual funding to support academic enrichment activities such as before and after school programs for students.
  • $8 million in annual funding for students enrolled in rural schools.
  • $36 million in annual funding to support children living on military bases or Native American reservations.

Funding for Department of Education-administered workforce development programs, including:

  • $77 million in annual funding for career and technical education and workforce development in Illinois.
  • $152 million in annual funding to expand employment and services for individuals with disabilities in Illinois.

Dispersing financial aid and supports to help students across Illinois to attend and complete college, including: $1 billion in Pell Grants reaching 226,000 students in Illinois.

Mayor Brandon Johnson

PEER Illinois Statement on Executive Order to Dismantle Department of Education

The President’s March 20th Executive Order seeking to dismantle the Department of Education is a direct attack on public schools and puts the resources and stability our students rely on at risk. Although the executive order claims it will improve education outcomes by empowering parents and states, it will have detrimental consequences on our most vulnerable students. This executive order is part of this administration’s broader plan to divest and disrupt public education throughout the country. We strongly condemn this unlawful action that threatens to destabilize our public schools and our children’s futures.

The Department of Education plays a critical role in ensuring that federal funding is distributed lawfully and equitably to schools, particularly those in historically underserved communities. Federal resources provide critical support for low-income students, students with disabilities, English learners, and other marginalized communities. 

Approximately 12% of Illinois’ public education budget comes from federal sources – this move towards potential elimination of existing federal distribution and oversight places the funding in limbo. Too many Illinois schools are already struggling to meet the needs of their students due to persistent underfunding. Despite the progress made through the Evidence-Based Funding (EBF) model, there is still a $5 billion gap to achieve fully funded schools as defined by Illinois law. Without the guarantee of federal funding, the disparity between well-resourced and under-resourced schools will grow wider, disproportionately impacting students of color and low-income students the most.

At a time when Illinois students are facing the challenging long-term impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, academic setbacks, and mental health challenges – the dismantling of the Department of Education will create additional instability and further cut resources. In surveys and listening sessions, Illinois parents tell us that they are already experiencing overcrowded classrooms, reduced support services, and fewer extracurricular activities as a result of underfunding at the state level.

PEER Illinois urges Illinois lawmakers to prioritize public education funding now more than ever and to increase funding for EBF. Rhetoric regarding our children’s futures and education should not be used for political gain or to further political agendas – instead this moment requires tangible actions and investments. All students deserve access to full and fair school funding and excellent education opportunities and it is the responsibility of both our state and federal governments to provide it. 

Statement From Mayor Brandon Johnson On The Board Of Education Budget Amendment

 “Following yesterday’s meeting, we are pleased that Chicago Public Schools and the Chicago Teachers Union are making meaningful progress towards a contract agreement. As a result, Board President Harden decided to postpone the budget amendment vote until the contract is settled. “Board members have expressed a desire for clarity on the final cost of the contract before voting on the budget amendment. The Board President is confident that the two sides are very close to coming to an agreement, and I share his confidence. A contract agreement is critical to the stability of our schools and communities. “Furthermore, given that President Trump plans to sign an executive order as early as today that would dismantle the Department of Education, we want to ensure that our school district and our teachers are fully aligned and that we are doing everything we can to protect our students and protect our schools from harmful policies and potential budget cuts.”

LaShawn Ford

LaShawn Ford Calls on Congress to Reject Executive Order to Shut Down U.S. Department of Education

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. – State Rep. La Shawn K. Ford, D-Chicago, is strongly urging Congress to reject President Donald Trump’s efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education. Ford warns that such an unprecedented move will have catastrophic consequences for millions of students, families, educators and institutions nationwide, and most importantly, right here in Illinois.

“I continue to hear from presidents, faculty and students of both our public and private colleges and universities who are deeply alarmed by this reckless decision,” Ford said. “Shutting down the Department of Education is an attack on equity, access and opportunity for students at every level—especially those who rely on critical federal programs like Pell Grants and student loan support to achieve their dream of higher education.”

With a lot of uncertainty due to the administration’s actions, Ford is emphasizing what is at risk, including:


Devastation to Federal Financial Aid Programs:

The Department of Education administers Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG), Federal Work-Study and Direct Loans. Eliminating the Department could leave millions of low-income and middle-class students without access to affordable higher education.

Impact on K-12 Education: 
Federal funding for Title I schools, special education (IDEA) and after-school programs will be in jeopardy, widening disparities for vulnerable children in underserved communities.

Support for Minority-Serving Institutions (MSIs):
Programs that support Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, Tribal Colleges and others rely on the Department’s funding and leadership.

Protections for Students:
The Department enforces civil rights laws in education, ensuring protections against discrimination based on race, gender, disability and more. Shutting down the Department weakens oversight and enforcement of these essential protections.

Oversight and Accountability: 
Without the Department, there will be no federal oversight of student loan servicers, predatory for-profit institutions and accreditation bodies, risking fraud and abuse against students and families.

Workforce Development and Adult Education:
Programs supporting career and technical education, adult literacy and workforce retraining will collapse, leaving workers and businesses without the skilled workforce they need to compete in a global economy.

Destabilizing Public and Private Higher Education Institutions: 
Presidents of both public and private colleges and universities have expressed grave concerns about the destabilizing impact of this order. Institutions could be forced to reduce services, increase tuition or close entirely without federal coordination and funding.


“This Executive Order is not only shortsighted—it is dangerous,” Ford said. “We must prioritize access to education, not dismantle it. I am calling on Congress—Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike—to stand together and reject this order immediately. Education is not a partisan issue; it is a national priority.”

Ford further urges students, parents, educators and advocates to contact their representatives in Washington to demand the preservation of the U.S. Department of Education and the programs that uplift millions of Americans.

For more information, please contact [email protected].

LDF Condemns President Trump’s Executive Order to Dismantle the Department of Education

Yesterday, President Trump issued an Executive Order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (ED), instructing Secretary McMahon to facilitate the closure of the federal agency. This action, based on disinformation, comes after the Trump Administration laid off nearly half the agency’s employees last week, and made drastic cuts to the Office for Civil Rights. These acts will undoubtedly have a detrimental effect on millions of students, parents, caregivers, and educators who rely on the Department of Education’s critical support to public schools and institutions of higher education. The EO will also deny these students a critical resource to combat discrimination in these schools and ensure equal access to educational opportunities.

While the President claims the executive order will not impede the provision of services and funding, like those that support low-income students and students with disabilities, any effort to dismantle ED is an affront to their needs and an abdication of the government’s duty to ensure all children have equal access to an education. In addition to calling to dissolve the agency’s functions or transfer them to other agencies, the order erroneously characterizes diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives as forms of illegal discrimination when, in fact, they may be used to prevent or remedy discrimination.

LDF President and Director-Counsel Janai Nelson issued the following statement:

“Tonight, we stand on the brink of a catastrophic failure by the Trump Administration as it continues its brazen assault on the U.S. Department of Education—the agency charged with protecting against discrimination and enforcing civil rights. For decades, the Department of Education has played a pivotal role in upholding the promise of a safe, high-quality, and inclusive education for millions of students—including Black students, LGBTQ+ students, students with disabilities, girls, and other students of color. Sadly, President Trump’s executive order presents a serious danger in yet another attempt to destroy public education, dial back hard-fought progress and relegate our democracy to one predating Brown v. Board of Education.

“Contrary to the claims in the Trump Administration’s executive order, state and local school boards and superintendents already hold the vast majority of power over decisions that most impact students. Make no mistake– the fabricated justification for abolishing ED is an effort to return power to the states, pretext that harkens back to a period of legalized school segregation where state legislatures and governors, especially in the South, fought to preserve a racial caste system and deny Black students access to equitable school resources and educational opportunities.”

Founded in 1940, the Legal Defense Fund (LDF) is the nation’s first civil rights law organization. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the Legal Defense Fund or LDF. Please note that LDF has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights.

Statement from IEA President Al Llorens on dismantling the Department of Education

SPRINGFIELD – Illinois Education Association President Al Llorens released the following statement reacting to Donald Trump’s executive order dismantling the U.S. Department of Education:

“Gutting the U.S. Department of Education means gutting some of the most important programs our public schools provide to the most vulnerable students and that doesn’t make any country greater.

Educators and parents agree that America’s students need more opportunities to succeed and the one way to do that is to strengthen the public schools. Public schools are home to 90 percent of the country’s students and 95 percent of special education students. Public schools are the great equalizer and programs for them should not be cut to give millionaires and billionaires deeper tax cuts. In a country of opportunity like ours, there is no reason to make the rich richer off the backs of our children who need the most services.

No matter where students live in Illinois, DuQuoin to Rockford and the Quad Cities to Effingham, our students deserve the best we have to offer. The federal education department does not guide curriculum in our state. It does not decide what our children will learn. However, it does provide funding for special education programs, food for our neediest children and grants to send our poorest students to college.

We are asking Illinoisans to stand up to protect Illinois’s students. Here are three easy steps:

What’s happening now is a reverse Robin Hood – taking from the needy to give to the ultra-wealthy. And, we shouldn’t stand for it. We also know that Illinoisans don’t support this idea. Through our annual State of Education in Illinois bipartisan polling, we know:

  • 80 percent of our state believes funding for public education should increase.
  • 91 percent agree that every child in Illinois has a right to an education at a public school.
  • 92 percent believe every child with a disability has the right to a public education in our state.
  • Only 11 percent of our state’s adults believe politicians should have any voice in how public schools operate.

Today’s actions are harmful to Illinois students and communities. These cuts harm our children, our students. As the largest education organization in our state, we will continue to fight and we urge other Illinoisans to do the same.”

The 135,000 member Illinois Education Association (IEA-NEA) is the state’s largest union. IEA represents Pre K-12 teachers outside the city of Chicago and education support staff, higher education faculty, retired education employees and students preparing to become teachers, statewide.a

Statement On President Trump’s Executive Order Calling for the Closure of the US Department of Education

Evan Stone • Co-Founder and CEO

The following is a statement from Educators for Excellence Co-Founder and CEO Evan Stone, following the Trump Administration’s Issuing of an Executive Order Calling for the Dissolution of the US Department of Education:

“This executive order is a symbolic effort, as the damage is already done—the layoffs announced last week are just the latest step in a broader, systemic effort to dismantle the Department of Education. But it’s also a slap in the face to American families and teachers who believe in our public education system.”

“This move is not just irresponsible—it’s completely misaligned with what educators and the public want. Our latest survey shows that the vast majority of teachers oppose this Administration’s education policies, and 63% of Americans reject the idea of abolishing the Department. Now, it is up to Congress to protect the critical functions the Department provides—ensuring civil rights protections, funding for schools that need it most, and research that drives evidence-based improvements in education. Instead of gutting the very systems that expand access to high-quality education, we should be investing in a stronger, more equitable future for all students and educators.”

Evan Stone is available to comment on this matter further. 

Dismantling The U.S. Department Of Education

Defense Of Democracy Official Statement

The closure of the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) will have devastating consequences that will undermine years of progress in supporting equitable educational opportunities for our most vulnerable students.

Rural Communities: Rural districts rely on federal funding to supplement limited state and local resources. Without federal support, rural districts will face teacher shortages, outdated materials, and difficulty maintaining school facilities.

Low-Income Students: Low-income students rely heavily on the federal resources and support provided by USDE. This includes Title I funding and other programs designed to ensure that disadvantaged students have the tools they need to succeed academically in K-12 schools and to pursue higher education.

Students with Disabilities: For students with disabilities, the closure of USDE means a loss of critical services and protections that help ensure an inclusive educational environment. USDE oversees the enforcement of key legislation such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which guarantees students with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education. Without the department’s oversight, the future of these essential protections is uncertain, putting students at risk of facing discrimination and barriers to accessing quality education.

Civil Rights in Education: USDE Office for Civil Rights enforces key protections against discrimination based on race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation in schools. Without this oversight, there will be fewer mechanisms to hold schools accountable for discriminatory practices, jeopardizing the rights and safety of students, especially those from marginalized communities.

Higher Education & Student Loans: USDE oversees student loans, Pell Grants, and repayment plans. Its closure could increase costs for students, especially those from working-class backgrounds, and allow unchecked predatory practices by for-profit colleges.

Overall Attack on Public Education: The closure would likely divert public funds to private and charter schools through school voucher programs. This shift undermines public education, draining resources from already underfunded schools and disproportionately harming students in low-income areas. This is part of a broader strategy to dismantle public education, weaken teachers’ unions, and impose political control over curricula, threatening academic quality and critical thinking.

This is a pivotal moment for American education. It is vital that we do not lose sight of the promise of equal educational opportunities for all students, regardless of their background or abilities. We must act now to defend the fundamental right of every child to a quality, equitable education before it is stripped from those who are most vulnerable.

Defense of Democracy is committed to advocating for policies that support equitable access to education for all students, particularly those from marginalized communities. We will continue to strive to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed, regardless of their socioeconomic status or ability.

Sincerely,

Karen Svoboda [she/her]

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