Overview:
Education Secretary Linda McMahon claimed the ongoing government shutdown proves the Department of Education is unnecessary.
On Wednesday, the Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon said that the federal shutdown is proof that her department should be eliminated, a longtime wish of Donald Trump.
“The Democrat government shutdown has forced agencies to evaluate what federal responsibilities are truly critical for the American people. Two weeks in, millions of American students are still going to school, teachers are getting paid, and schools are operating as normal,” posted on X, formerly known as Twitter. “It confirms what the President has said: the federal Department of Education is unnecessary, and we should return education to the states.”
As of October 17, 2025, the U.S. government remains shut down due to stalled negotiations between Republicans and Democrats over federal spending and the extension of Affordable Care Act health insurance subsidies. Democrats have refused to pass short-term funding bills without a guarantee to extend the subsidies, while Republicans continue to reject that demand. Both chambers of Congress have failed to pass compromise legislation, and lawmakers have recessed until at least October 20. The shutdown has furloughed hundreds of thousands of federal workers, halted key investigations, and sparked criticism over the administration’s selective funding cuts.
While schools have remained open during the shutdown, the implications of a prolonged government shutdown have raised concerns, especially after the entire staff of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services was furloughed.
This comes after more than 460 Department of Education employees were laid off, raising questions about how this will impact education. However, according to McMahon, the reductions will not burden schools or students, and these programs would be the responsibility of the states.
“The Department has taken additional steps to better reach American students and families and root out the education bureaucracy that has burdened states and educators with unnecessary oversight,” McMahon said, “No education funding is impacted by the RIF, including funding for special education, and the clean CR supported by the Trump Administration will provide states and schools the funding they need to support all students.”
