The second edition of the Trump administration has already had its controversies within its first 100 days, one of which will greatly change America’s educational system for years to come. On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order that directed the Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon, to dismantle the Department of Education. Ignoring the fact that the executive branch cannot destroy a federal department [Congress can only pass legislation to dissolve a government agency], this action will negatively impact not only current students but also generations of students to come, with the National Education Association warning that the cuts could be “catastrophic.”
Trump and DOGE have already slashed a large percentile [50 percent] of jobs within the department according to multiple news sources, with 90 percent of the Federal Student Aid Office being laid off, and this can only be a sign for more cuts to come. President Trump has notioned that the responsibilities of federal student loans will be shifted towards the U.S. Small Business Administration, but they have also had 40 percent of their staff being laid off. Forty-two million borrowers will be affected by these cuts, how can these shorthanded departments manage such a large amount of loans and borrowers? That is yet to be determined. Now you may ask yourself: “How will this affect me? Does it really matter?”
And yes, absolutely, it will affect all of us, and it matters.
The department is responsible for federal student aid and gives aid to schools and colleges all across the nation. The administration has signaled that student aid responsibilities will be shifted to other departments, but with the avalanche of cuts to the federal government, it is unlikely that the student aid process that millions rely on will remain stable. Executive Director of the Student Borrower Protection Center, Mike Pierce, even said the following: “It means that the sorry state of the student loan system will only get worse — servicers can cut back on customer service, lose paperwork, and lie to borrowers knowing that no one is watching and they will never face justice.”
The results of these layoffs in the protection center can be disastrous for borrowers, as it can lead to multi-hour-long wait times on the phone to simply contact an employee to help them with their student aid. Former President Biden’s Saving on a Valuable Education Plan is also being threatened in court by conservative challenges. The plan’s goal is to be more lenient for borrowers for paying back their loans, but if Biden’s SAVE plan is thwarted, it can lead to higher monthly payments towards federal student loans. The ripple effect of these cuts may lead aspiring students to receive loans from different lenders, who will tend to have higher interest rates, causing a much higher amount of debt in the future.
Trump’s slew of cuts to the department will also greatly affect the North Canton school system, as 9 percent of the district’s funding in 2022 alone, according to the National Center for Education Statistics [NCES]. Lower income areas across the country have an even higher amount of federal funding; if those funds are severed, it can sink these schools into chaos. NCES was hit with 97 percent of their workforce being laid off, which is a huge hit to low income schools since they offer professional assistance to schools and teachers when it is needed. The loss of federal funding can lead to cutting teacher positions and departments in the school district, and even higher tax levies for schools in the future. The department also provides aid to 26 million students who reside in high-poverty areas, according to CBS. They also provide assistance for students with special needs and disabilities. With these massive cuts, many students’ academic lifelines will be severed, as students in poverty are already massively disadvantaged and do not receive enough aid as is to receive a proper education. The axing of the Department of Education is a troubling sign for many incoming college students who are receiving federal student loans, and for the millions of children who rely on federal funding to get a better education from our public schools. While many have championed these budget cuts, it will simply leave many impoverished students in the dust.
