US President Donald Trump has criticized the US Department of Education’s spending as the country’s educational standing continues to deteriorate in the world. In addition to ordering urgent budget cuts and calling the DOE a “con job,” he is also advocating for its dissolution.
In an interview with Oval Office reporters on Wednesday, Trump claimed to have seen a statistic that, despite spending the most per student, the US was rated 40th in the world for education.
“Look at the Department of Education. It’s a big con job,” Trump said. “They ranked the top countries in the world. We’re ranked No. 40, but we’re ranked No. 1 in one department: cost per pupil. So, we spend more per pupil than any other country in the world, but we’re ranked No. 40.”
Trump stated a recent report indicated the United States has fallen further from its prior ranking of 38th. As big as it is, [China] is ranked in the top five, and that’s our … primary competitor,” he said. “So, if we’re ranked No. 40 that means something’s really wrong.
Trump issued two executive orders last month with the goal of reforming the educational system. While one order strengthened school choice efforts, the other cut government support for K–12 schools that teach critical race theory (CRT).
At school board meetings over the years, parents from all around the United States have expressed their worries about the inclusion of CRT and other contentious issues in education. Trump pledged during his campaign to stop supporting schools that spread transgender ism, CRT, and “any other inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content on our children.”
The Trump administration is promoting significant education reforms in response to declining test scores around the country, and there are rumors that authorities may close the DOE completely.
