Today, President Donald Trump delivered one of the most influential reforms yet of his presidency: reducing the size of the Department of Education and returning education back to state control. With his Executive Order, President Trump has boldly reimagined what education can – and should – look like in our country.
Funding for the Department of Education has more than doubled since 1980 – yet billions more in funding hasn’t contributed to better education results. In fact, it’s done the opposite.
Over the past 10 years, 8th grade math achievement has dropped two grade levels, while 8th grade reading scores include some of the lowest ever recorded. Over 70 percent of 8th graders are below proficient in reading and math, while nearly one-third of all public school students are behind grade level.
President Trump knows that we can – and must – do better.
That’s why I support President Trump’s proposal to return control of our education system to the states, where it belongs. The role of government should be to empower, not over-regulate, and this move will allow for a more localized, innovative, and accountable approach to education that truly serves the needs of our students, families, and educators.
President Trump’s Executive Order will enable long-awaited curriculum and administrative reforms, while expanding opportunities for school choice and educational freedom.
By returning curriculum to the state and district level, we will finally be able to teach common sense instead of Common Core. It’s time we move past outdated national standardized testing, and instead focus on fresh accountability for academic achievement and new choices for students and parents.
States will also be able to retool high schools, so that students can get critical work experience in high school. This will enable students to graduate ready for local careers, apprenticeships, or college. Last year, I hosted the National Governors Association on a tour of Southeast Career Technical Academy in Las Vegas, where we saw students graduating ready for careers in construction, the automotive industry, culinary arts, cosmetology, and cybersecurity.
My fellow governors would agree with me: we desperately need to invest in more vocational high schools and make them more available to more students that wish to pursue that educational path. President Trump’s Executive Order will enable us to do just that.
For too long, federal mandates, and sometimes partisan politics, have tied our hands and prevented us from implementing school choice programs that empower families. By reducing the size, bureaucracy and power of the U.S. Department of Education, we can create more opportunities for parents to choose the best educational setting for their children. Parents should always have the final say in their child’s education – not Washington D.C. bureaucrats.
By removing harmful DEI policies, restoring integrity in women’s sports, and implementing educational freedom, President Trump has already made significant progress in our schools and universities. Returning education to the states is the next critical step in President Trump’s transformational education agenda.
I’m committed to working alongside my fellow governors and President Trump to champion policies that prioritize parental choice, promote accountability and transparency, and put our students first. Education should be about opportunity, and this move will empower states to deliver unprecedented opportunity for every child, regardless of household income or where a child lives.
Education decisions are best made closest to the student by the people that care most about that student. President Trump understands that, and I’m grateful he took a major step toward improving the lives and preparedness of an entire generation of American children.
Joe Lombardo is the governor of Nevada.
