Sen. Rounds' Bill Would End Education Department

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., has introduced a bill to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, The Center Square reported.

The Returning Education to Our States Act would transfer the department's responsibilities to other federal departments. President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to eliminate the agency in favor of localized control of education.

The department's budget has expanded by 449% since it was established in 1979 to collect data and offer educational guidance, yet standardized test scores have declined over the past decade, according to a press release from Rounds' office. The senator described the agency as an "oversized bureaucracy" that stifles educational progress.

"Despite spending $16,000 per student annually, the Department has failed to enhance the quality of education," Rounds said in the press release. "Its one-size-fits-all standards harm rather than help students. Local communities and educators understand their students' needs far better than unelected bureaucrats in Washington.

"We all remember a teacher who made a difference in our lives," he said. "It's time to return that control to the people who know their students best."

The bill would redistribute essential programs to various federal departments:

• The Department of the Interior would oversee programs serving Native American and Alaska Native students, such as the Indian Education Formula Grants and Alaska Native Education Equity Program.
• The Department of Treasury would manage federal student aid programs, including Pell Grants and federal loan programs.
• The Department of Health and Human Services would assume responsibility for special education initiatives, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
• The Department of Labor would handle career and technical education programs and vocational rehabilitation grants.
• The Department of State would oversee international education programs like the Fulbright-Hays Program.

Critics of the proposal caution that eliminating the Department of Education could disrupt access to federal student aid, potentially jeopardizing institutions heavily reliant on such funding. They have also raised concerns about the administrative challenges of reallocating programs across multiple federal agencies.

Rounds remains optimistic about the bill's prospects, particularly with Republicans poised to take control of Congress.

"For years, I've worked to remove the federal Department of Education," he said. "I'm pleased that President-elect Trump shares this vision, and I look forward to collaborating with Republican majorities in the Senate and House to make this a reality."

Trump has amplified calls to eliminate the Department of Education, voicing his support while announcing his plan to nominate Linda McMahon as the department's secretary. McMahon, a longtime executive with World Wrestling Entertainment and former head of the Small Business Administration during Trump's first term, is set to lead the initiative.

"We will send Education BACK TO THE STATES, and Linda will spearhead that effort," Trump said in a statement.

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