Former President Joe Biden has dedicated the last four years to supporting the demands of teachers’ unions, which has resulted in negative consequences for kids across the nation.

It is a breath of fresh air to see President Donald Trump focusing on what benefits families when it comes to their children’s education.

Recently, Trump signed an executive order aimed at instructing the federal Education Department to find better ways to assist state-level school choice initiatives, potentially motivating other states to adopt similar plans.

“Parents want and deserve the best education for their children,” the order asserts. “However, far too many children struggle in their assigned, government-operated K-12 schools.”

That’s an understatement.

The timing of this order coincides with the release of the National Assessment of Educational Progress. The executive order refers to the Nation’s Report Card, which indicated that 70% of eighth graders were below reading proficiency and 72% fell short in math. Additionally, children are still facing setbacks from the lengthy and unnecessary school closures enforced during COVID-19.

In essence, the current educational framework in the U.S. is ineffective, and Trump’s initiative to encourage states to liberate themselves from the control that unions exert over public schools shows smart thinking.

Robert Enlow, the president and CEO of EdChoice, mentioned, “I believe the administration is striving to balance the federal government’s role in education while letting states take the lead.”

Republican-led states are at the forefront of school choice reform. The federal government ought to collaborate.

In recent years, there has been significant progress in the realm of school choice. Over 12 states, with Tennessee being the most recent, have enacted various forms of universal school choice programs that allow for private school attendance.

Corey DeAngelis, a senior fellow at the American Culture Project and the Reason Foundation, mentioned that other states, including Texas, might implement major school choice reforms soon.

Trump’s initiative could assist these states in finalizing legislation to this effect.

This seems to be evident in South Dakota, where a Republican legislative leader expressed his intention to leverage the executive order to advance school choice legislation.

According to DeAngelis, “The primary advantage of Trump’s executive order on school choice is that it energizes the school choice movement.” He added, “It accelerates the existing momentum within the states.”

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers and a strong advocate for maintaining the current educational system, has characterized Trump’s order as an “assault” on public education. She oddly claims that increasing school choice for families will actually limit their options.

This perspective seems illogical.

It appears that Weingarten’s concerns are primarily about protecting her union’s financial support and the political leverage it affords Democrats.

Trump believes states should manage children’s education more effectively. He’s correct.

DeAngelis notes that while it’s promising for Trump to advocate for school choice, there are limits to what he can achieve through executive orders.

This is where Congress can intervene, and it already has taken steps.

Recently, Republican lawmakers reintroduced the Educational Choice for Children Act, which would offer a federal tax credit system to encourage charitable contributions that fund educational scholarships for various K-12 needs.

This initiative resembles the efforts made by former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos during Trump’s initial term in office.

Trump also has ambitious plans regarding the U.S. Department of Education. He intends to dismantle this $80 billion-a-year agency entirely, and there are valid reasons for this approach.

The current system of imposing rules and regulations for funding purposes has proven ineffective. Congress would do better to allocate block grants directly to states.

A further executive order is anticipated to clarify Trump’s vision on this matter. However, Congressional involvement will be crucial.

Countless children continue to be neglected by the public education system. For Trump and Republican lawmakers, prioritizing the expansion of school choice options and abolishing the Education Department is vital for achieving meaningful change.

As Enlow from EdChoice stated, “Education should be managed by the states, while the federal government can assist states in fulfilling their responsibilities.”

Ingrid Jacques is a columnist. You can reach her on X, formerly Twitter: @Ingrid_Jacques