Editor’s Note: This is an overview of recent reporting in national news publications.
On March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), part of his long-standing effort to return control over education policy to states and local communities (The Guardian, March 20).
The order lays out a framework to dramatically reduce the department’s size and authority, while aiming to eliminate federal support for programs promoting diversity, equity, inclusion (DEI), and gender-related education efforts (Axios, March 20).
Analysis of the DOE Executive Order
Though sweeping in scope, the executive order doesn’t automatically abolish the DOE, but it sets a process in motion. Full dissolution would require Congressional approval, which remains a politically uncertain path (AP News, March 20).
The order follows months of federal staff reductions, as The Chronicle of Higher Education describes in its March 20 article, “After Cutting Half Its Staff, Trump Signs an Order Directing the Education Department to Close.” The Chronicle notes that the department’s remaining operations will be wound down or transferred to state agencies, raising serious questions about capacity, oversight, and equity.
A New York Magazine analysis explains the order as part of a broader legal and ideological strategy to provoke challenges and test the boundaries of executive power, especially around educational oversight and civil rights enforcement (NY Mag, March 20).
How the DOE Plan May Affect Students and Families
The DOE oversees federal student aid programs, enforces civil rights protections in schools, and funds programs for low-income, disabled, and first-generation students. While the executive order claims to preserve critical services like Pell Grants and student loan processing, The New York Times reports that internal chaos and loss of expertise could lead to operational delays, mishandled payments, and reduced oversight of servicers — issues that could directly affect millions of borrowers and aid recipients (NYT, March 20).
On March 21, Trump announced that the Small Business Administration (SBA) will take over management of the federal student loan portfolio — worth over $1.6 trillion — while the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will assume responsibility for programs serving students with disabilities. Critics argue that these agencies lack the infrastructure and education-specific expertise to manage such responsibilities effectively (The Hill, March 21).
Adding to the instability, Moody’s issued a negative outlook for U.S. universities, citing DOE staff reductions, cuts to research funding, actions against DEI programs, and increased financial uncertainty around student aid. These shifts have already prompted hiring freezes and halted capital investments, particularly at schools with limited endowments (San Francisco Chronicle, March 18).
The executive order’s broader goal of transferring educational authority to the states could also result in inconsistent protections for vulnerable students depending on where they live (AP News, March 20).
Advice for Families Navigating College Admissions
With federal education policy in flux, families — especially those with students in grades 10-12 — should take these concrete steps to stay ahead:
- Know what your state is doing.
–Visit your state’s Department of Education website or sign up for their newsletter.
–Check whether your state offers its own financial aid (e.g., Cal Grants in California, TAP in New York, or the HOPE Scholarship in Georgia).
–Ask your school counselor if any recent changes may affect financial aid programs in your area. - Supplement school counseling with trusted tools.
–Many high schools are stretched thin. Use platforms like Road2College Insights to build your college list, compare aid offers, and plan applications.
–Join free Facebook groups or webinars focused on FAFSA and scholarships. Road2College offers the Paying for College 101 private Facebook group and regular webinars on topics keeping families on to date on changes to financial aid and college admissions. - Research colleges that offer strong in-house aid and support.
–On each college website, look for a net price calculator to estimate real costs.
–Prioritize schools with generous need-based aid, peer mentoring, academic coaching, and strong freshman retention rates.
–Use resources like the Road2College Insights tool to compare schools by aid generosity and outcomes.
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