# Executive Order 14242: Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities
This executive order establishes a framework for the closure of the U.S. Department of Education, representing a significant shift away from federal oversight of education toward state and local control. The order characterizes federal education programs and the Department—established in 1979—as an "unaccountable bureaucracy" that has "plainly failed our children, our teachers, and our families." According to the order, despite approximately $60 billion in annual federal education funding, supplemented by roughly $200 billion during the COVID-19 pandemic, American student performance remains poor, with the order citing National Assessment of Educational Progress data showing 70% of 8th graders below proficiency in reading and 72% below proficiency in math.
The directive instructs the Secretary of Education to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education" while ensuring uninterrupted delivery of essential services and programs. It specifically mandates that any allocation of Department funds must comply with federal law and administration policy, particularly highlighting requirements to terminate what it describes as "illegal discrimination obscured under the label 'diversity, equity, and inclusion'" and programs promoting "gender ideology." The order also criticizes the Department's management of the federal student loan portfolio (valued at over $1.6 trillion), comparing it unfavorably to major banks that have significantly more staff dedicated to similar-sized financial operations.
Implementation of this order falls primarily to the Secretary of Education, though the directive specifies it must be executed "consistent with applicable law and subject to the availability of appropriations." The order includes standard provisions clarifying that it does not impair existing legal authorities or create new enforceable rights. While the order frames the closure as returning education authority to "States and local communities," it does not specify a timeline for implementation or detail how various Department functions would be redistributed, nor does it address what legislation might be required to formally dissolve a Cabinet-level department established by Congress. The order's language suggests its proponents believe this restructuring would lead to improved educational outcomes through localized control and reduced bureaucracy.