In 1979, former President Jimmy Carter played a crucial role in establishing the modern U.S. Department of Education, an achievement the Biden administration has recognized as a key part of Carter’s legacy following his passing.

Now, nearly fifty years later, as the 39th president lies in state at the U.S. Capitol, the future of this agency appears more precarious than ever. President-elect Donald Trump, who will assume office on January 20, has made repeated vows to “close” the department, calling it a “bloated and radical bureaucracy.”

This situation prompts a closer examination of the department’s origins and its evolution over the past fifty years. Although Trump has not detailed how he intends to gain legislative backing for his plan to dissolve the federal agency, his prospects seem more favorable now that Republicans have a majority in both Congressional chambers. In November, Republican Senator Mike Rounds of South Dakota introduced legislation aimed at dismantling the department, redistributing its various responsibilities among other Cabinet-level agencies (this proposal echoes the vision put forth in Project 2025, a conservative policy initiative).

In some respects, Trump’s criticisms resemble the resistance faced by lawmakers during the department’s inception. Even though education is predominantly managed at the state and local levels in the U.S., conservative voices have long opposed any federal role in education.

Conversely, some of Trump’s education reform proposals would necessitate an increased federal role in schools rather than a reduced one. This contradiction – between seeing the department as either a target of criticism or a pivotal instrument – partly clarifies why it still exists today.

Kevin Welner, a professor of education policy at the University of Colorado Boulder, notes that the current discussions regarding the agency’s future evoke memories of past debates.

“History doesn’t exactly repeat itself, but it certainly has similarities,” he remarked. “We’re witnessing those parallels today.”

Carter’s Vision for Education

After Carter’s passing on December 29, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona expressed that the core functions of the department can be traced back to Carter’s initiatives.

“During his presidency, Carter unified essential federal education programs when he created the U.S. Department of Education, elevating the importance of equal access to education to the cabinet level, where it rightly belongs,” Cardona stated.

In the lead-up to his 1976 gubernatorial election victory in Georgia, Carter consistently advocated for establishing a federal agency to oversee education. Although the concept had existed for some time, federal education policy was primarily managed under the broader Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.

A standalone education agency had been a long-standing objective for the National Education Association, the largest teachers’ union in the country, which remains influential in Washington, D.C. In September 1976, this organization endorsed Carter – a historic first in presidential elections.

Carter took office in January 1977, but realizing his vision for the department took several years.

“Like previous presidents, he found that his plans had to navigate the interests of many others,” according to an academic review in the 1983 edition of Political Science Quarterly.

Carter’s Congressional Advocacy

In February 1978, President Carter presented his proposal to a Democrat-majority Congress.

“A dedicated Cabinet-level department will empower the federal government to form genuine partnerships with state, local, and private education institutions to maintain and enhance the quality of our educational system,” he informed legislators.

Prior to his initiative, others had already started advocating for such a department, including Senator Abraham Ribicoff, a Democrat from Connecticut. Deanna Michael, an associate professor at the University of South Florida and author of a book on Carter’s education policies, pointed this out.

Having previously served as secretary of the Department of Health, Education and Welfare, Ribicoff was keenly aware of the agency’s limitations, which made him a fervent supporter of a separate education department.

Despite having influential backers such as Ribicoff, Carter’s proposal encountered pushback from both within his administration and outside groups. Some officials were hesitant to relinquish their authority to a new agency, while various interest groups preferred the established system.

“We tend to prefer the known challenges over unknown changes,” they argued, as noted by Michael.

Establishing new federal agencies demands Congressional approval. For Carter, gaining widespread support in the Senate was relatively manageable, but the House presented a more complex challenge.

“Members of the House are more directly connected to local sentiments against federal intervention and, with elections occurring every two years, they are often more responsive to these views,” David Stephens, an Australian bureaucrat, mentioned in the Political Science Quarterly article. “Yet they are also more accessible to lobbyists advocating for the department, who diligently sought out the critical votes necessary for success.”

Creation of the Education Department in 1979

After two years of persistent advocacy, the Senate approved the Department of Education Organization Act on September 24, 1979, with 69 votes in favor. Shortly thereafter, the House also passed the bill by a vote of 215 to 201. Carter signed the legislation into law on October 17.

“I can’t predict how history will judge this moment,” he said during the signing ceremony, “but I believe that the best The future move for enhancing the quality of life in America could significantly involve the creation of a new Department of Education.

Although the revamped Education Department began its operations in 1980 without authority over school curriculums, it has increasingly taken on regulatory responsibilities in recent years. This agency can impose fines on educational institutions that do not ensure a discrimination-free environment for students and staff, and it establishes the guidelines that colleges must adhere to in order to qualify for federal student aid.

Back in 1965, the Office of Education, prior to its separation into a distinct agency, employed over 2,000 individuals and had a budget of $1.5 billion. Fast forward to mid-2010, the department boasted nearly 4,300 employees and a budget close to $60 billion. Its extensive duties encompass providing financial assistance to low-income students seeking college education and overseeing a student loan portfolio valued at nearly $2 trillion, comparable to the assets of major banks.

From Reagan to Trump, the Agency Faces Challenges

Over the past decades, every president, including Trump, has used the Education Department to promote their education policy goals, which are often reversed or modified by incoming administrations.

Despite expectations in Washington that no proposals to dissolve the department will pass due to the GOP’s narrow majority, the Trump administration has indicated a desire to limit the department’s functions and reduce its funding. Former presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy, appointed by Trump to spearhead a new “Department of Government Efficiency” alongside billionaire Elon Musk, has vowed to eliminate what he deems unnecessary expenditures within the federal government, including those of the Education Department.

“Our Dept of Education wastes funds without accountability,” Ramaswamy expressed in a November post on X. “The issue lies with unelected bureaucrats.”

After President Carter’s defeat by Ronald Reagan in 1980, Reagan also vowed to shut down the agency, but ultimately did not follow through.