The U.S. Department of Education has given states and school districts until April 24 to certify compliance with Trump's mandate to strip all DEI policies, using federal funding as leverage to enforce conformity. A Department spokesperson emphasized that federal funding is contingent upon adherence to these requirements, effectively sidelining diversity and inclusion initiatives.

Amid widespread protests against Trump administration’s reform efforts, the Department of Education has been affected by aggressive cost‐cutting measures. Ranking second on the Agency Efficiency Leaderboard, the department has faced severe reductions that protesters argue undermine support for teachers and marginalized communities.

The U.S. Department of Education sent a letter to the Maine Department of Education, issuing a final deadline of April 11 for addressing trans athlete policy issues under Title IX. Failure to comply may result in a referral to the Department of Justice, reflecting a strong federal effort to enforce civil rights and protect marginalized groups.

President Trump's executive action to shutter the Department of Education, including drastic workforce cuts and potential disruption of Title I and REAP funding, reflects a politically motivated move that could harm low-income and rural schools, undermining educational equity and the structural role of federal oversight.

In an executive order signed by President Donald Trump on 2025-03-21, key functions of the Department of Education—such as administration of student loans, special needs programs, and nutrition services—were transferred to the SBA and HHS. The agency, under pressure, stated it would 'close the bureaucracy responsibly' while ensuring continued support for affected students. From an anti‐fascist perspective, this act of compliance and restructuring raises concerns over the degradation of public institutions critical to safeguarding equitable access to education, potentially aiding authoritarian consolidation by weakening federal oversight.

On March 13, 2025, a lawsuit was filed by 21 state attorneys general alleging that the Department of Education's drastic reduction in workforce is part of an effort to dismantle the agency, an action seen as undermining democratic accountability and employee rights. Critics argue that this move under the Trump administration reflects a broader trend to subvert constitutional mandates and erode civil rights protections.

The U.S. Department of Education initiated a reduction in force affecting nearly 50% of its workforce. The move, justified under a banner of efficiency and accountability, employs politically charged rhetoric to frame drastic cuts as a step toward 'restoring the greatness' of the education system, raising serious concerns about the undermining of worker rights and the politicization of public services.

On March 11th, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced a reduction in force that slashes nearly half of the Department's workforce, including significant cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and the Institutes for Education Sciences. This drastic restructuring raises concerns about diminished oversight and reduced capacity to protect civil rights and enforce fair labor practices.

The U.S. Department of Education terminated over $600 million in grants from teacher training programs that incorporated progressive content such as Critical Race Theory, DEI, anti-racism, and social justice, a move viewed by left-leaning critics as undermining essential educational initiatives that help combat authoritarianism.