Wednesday, April 26, 2017
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump signed an executive order today that aims to reduce the federal government's role in K-12 education.
Trump is giving Education Secretary Betsy DeVos just short of a year – 300 days – to identify areas where Washington has overstepped its legal authority in education, and modify and repeal regulations and guidance from her department, if necessary. A report will be returned to the White House and eventually made public, officials said.
Trump complained the government over the years has forced states and schools to comply with "federal whims." He said the order will help restore local control over education.
"We know that local communities do it best and know it best," Trump said, surrounded by governors, members of Congress and teachers. "The time has come to empower parents and teachers to make the decisions that help their students achieve success."
Republicans have long chafed at federal government involvement in education, asserting that states and local governments, school boards and parents are best positioned to decide what students learn.
Antipathy toward the Education Department ramped up under Trump's predecessor, President Barack Obama, who offered states billions of dollars of federal money to help improve their schools in exchange for adopting certain academic standards.
DeVos said time has shown that "one-size-fits-all policies and mandates from Washington simply don't work."