Several specific policies had led to significant impact on the US education system during Donald Trump's first term. As Trump returns to power for the second presidential term, Republicans are again set to implement their ideology and polices in the higher education.
Who Trump nominates for Education Secretary?
Trump's pick for Education Secretary will shed light on his future plans about the department. He did not have a major focus on higher education during his first tenure. However, selection of the new Education Secretary may determine his government's focus on the sector in the second term.
Ending previous policies?
Trump's first administrative steps will likely include slowing down or putting an end to policies that were set during Biden-era. This means he may put student loan relief and Title IX directly under his control. The Biden administration had added protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Title IX is a federal civil rights law passed as part of the Education Amendments of 1972. The law protects people from discrimination based on sex to access education and applies to any institution receiving federal financial assistance, including state and local educational agencies.
Title IX states that:
“No person in the United States shall, on the basis of sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance.”
As per reports, the Biden government has given the maximum student loan relief in history and is soon planning to defend a new income-driven repayment programme in the courts that does not go down well with the Republicans.
Proposal to close the Department of Education
During the campaign trial, Trump had also promised to eliminate the Department of Education. The Department of Education's primary role includes administering federal education funds, which amounted to around $238 billion in 2024-roughly 14% of total education spending in the US. The department manages federal student loans, civil rights enforcement, and education data collection. The plan to close the department could potentially reduce federal funding for schools, raise questions about civil rights enforcement, and reshape education nationwide.
Stop funding for schools
Trump also plans to stop funding for schools that go against his policies. On his first day in office, Trump repeatedly mentioned that he will cut money to "any school pushing critical race theory, transgender insanity, and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content on our children." On the campaign trail, Trump said he would "not give one penny" to schools with vaccine or mask requirements.
Federal tax credit scholarship
In his first term, Trump tried to set up a federal tax credit scholarship for private schools. However, the scholarship was never accepted. His government may again try to push the legislation to create a such a programme in the US House of Representatives committee.
Moms of Liberty
Trump could also support the creation of a federal parents' bill of rights, to permit groups such as Moms for Liberty that have sought to keep books about race and gender identity out of schools and gain public access to school curriculum.
Tuition-free online university
In his campaign, Trump expressed his desire to set up a new university: the American Academy, a tuition-free online university that the would compete with existing colleges that would allot bachelor's degrees recognised by all government agencies and federal contractors. This new institution would be “strictly nonpolitical” with “no wokeness or jihadism” and would be paid for by another proposal by Trump: Expanding taxation of university endowments.
