Impact of Department of Education Closure: DC, Virginia and Maryland Educators Speak Out

Project 2025’s mission for the Department of Education (“DoE”) was blunt: “[U]ltimately, the federal Department of Education should be eliminated.” President Trump is now executing on that mandate.

What is the DoE?

In 1979, Congress passed the Department of Education Organization Act, which established the DoE. The agency creates policy for, administers and coordinates most federal education assistance. As of this writing, its website still proclaims its mission: “to promote student achievement and preparation for global competitiveness by fostering educational excellence and ensuring equal access.”

Dismantling the Department

Since taking office, President Trump has taken an axe to the public education system. On March 20, 2025, he issued an executive order directing the Secretary of Education to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States and local communities[.]” The order further requires that federal funds may not be used for programs “promoting gender ideology.”

Legally, the president cannot unilaterally remove an agency created by Congress. He likely can, however, render it impotent.

As a parent, I have questions about these actions. But what do our local educators say?

Math Specialist, K-5 (Alexandria, Va.)

“The Executive Order creates an atmosphere of uncertainty. Whether it’s a school or a school district, we don’t know how funding will be impacted or what regulations will be impacted. This idea of doing things without a plan, without foresight, is really what I see as the biggest issue.

One of the things I worry about is our most vulnerable students: students with special needs. How will 504 plans and IEPs be monitored and enforced? We don’t know the plan and we don’t have any kind of guarantee. It’s undermining a system that already needs bolstering and support.”

Educational Consultant Supporting Public and Charter Schools in Maryland, Virginia and DC

“Since 2019, there has been a national effort in education to shift the way we teach reading to better align with cognitive science. A big part of that initiative is to change how teachers are taught and the curricula we use for teaching children how to read.

Fairfax County has already implemented a new curriculum, for the first time in 30 years, and some of the money it used for this change was through federal grants. I was recently in a school in Maryland, however, in a small district with high needs, that is also shifting its reading instructional practice and is ready to pilot new reading curricula. The money they were going to use to fund this change was from a federal grant. Because of the executive order, the district is worried about not being able to get reimbursed and is not moving forward.

There is such a lack of clarity about what it means to shut down the Department of Education. People are concerned, and they’re making decisions not based on what is best for kids, but because they’re confused. This will have direct impacts on the students currently in school and on future students.”

Elementary School Teacher (Washington, DC)

“What concerns me most about the dismantling of DoE is how it will impact funding for academic support in our schools. For example, our school employs teachers who specialize in assisting English language learners. Will we have enough funding for those positions? I fear what cuts will be made and how it will impact our students. Education should not be a privilege in our country, and every child should have access to a quality education. Moving forward, I fear the education gap will only continue to grow.”

High School English Teacher (Montgomery County, Md.)

“The truest victims of these cuts are the ones whom politicians routinely pledge to defend and support: the students.

The federal government – through the Department of Education – is a primary source of important funding for many essential programs: namely special education services and free and reduced meal provisions. These cuts will have dire consequences for millions of kids across the country. How can we expect a kid – whether 5 or 15 – to concentrate in class all day when they haven’t eaten since lunch the day before?

We in Montgomery County Public Schools won’t see the precise impact of the federal cuts yet. We also have school and elected officials who’ve done their best to brace our system for what they knew was to come. But no amount of reallocation of funds or creative budgeting can protect kids from the irreparable harm that these cuts will bring – and the consequences they will reap on our nation’s future for generations to come.”

Social Studies Teacher (Maryland)

“In the past I have had some very positive interactions with the DoE, participating in numerous roundtables on a wide variety of topics, especially global education and supporting our religious students in our public schools. For me the most worrisome direction of the DoE is that many of our most marginalized and vulnerable students will no longer have the legal and financial support of the federal government and all of the gains that marginalized student groups have made in our schools will be lost. My resume is full of DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion], which is the heart of who I am as a teacher.”

The DoE executive order is shrouded in confusion and we might not understand the full impacts for years to come. In the meantime, we could all benefit from listening to our teachers.

Jennifer Brechbill is a writer, lawyer and mom of three. You can find her on LinkedIn or Instagram (@jenniferbrechbill or @glutenfree_with_g).