Joe Biden’s legacy will include massive federal spending on education.  The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), signed into law on March 11, 2021, provided $170.3 billion in public school funding, the largest amount provided in any legislation

The Department of Education (DoEd) spends three times more money on education than other developing nations, yet the U.S. ranks twelfth in getting the most value for this funding behind many countries spending far less per student according to U.S. News & World Report.  Not only is the U.S. failing in education on the global and national stage, but also per pupil spending has gone up by more than 245 percent since the 1970s, with test scores rising less than 2 percent.  The federal government is great at spending money but gets a failing grade for academic achievement.  The value of education must be measured by results, not the level of expenditures.

The DoEd’s FY 2023 Annual Performance Report and FY 2025 Annual Performance Plan has the following strategic goals: “1) Promote equity in student access to educational resources, opportunities, and inclusive environments; and 2) Support a diverse and talented educator workforce and professional growth to strengthen student learning.”  This means that academics are not the corner stone of the DoEd’s mission and helps to explain why American students continue to fall behind.

The Trump administration is taking a more constructive approach.  On January 29, 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order, “Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity For Families.”  It states, “Parents want and deserve the best education for their children.  But too many children do not thrive in their assigned, government-run K-12 school.  According to this year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 70 percent of 8th graders were below proficient in reading, and 72 percent were below proficient in math.  Moreover, geographically based school assignments exacerbate the cost of housing in districts with preferred schools, straining the finances of millions of American families sacrificing for their children’s futures.  When our public education system fails such a large segment of society, it hinders our national competitiveness and devastates families and communities …”  

Re-focusing education on quality and outcomes will improve results, as would moving the functions of the DoED to other federal agencies and the states.  Until the DoEd was established in 1977, federal education programs were far smaller and part of the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.  The three generations of K-12 schoolchildren that have been educated since the DoED was created have not been given the same opportunities as prior generations and taxpayers have been shortchanged on results from their “investment” in education.  President Trump and the Department of Government Efficiency are on the right path to giving students the tools they need to succeed by calling for the elimination of the DoED, and Congress should take the necessary steps to prioritize academic excellence by implementing evidence-based policies and promoting competition within the states by allowing schools to innovate and develop best practices to educate the youth of America.