What it would mean to eliminate the Education Department

By Jordan-Marie Smith,

Courtney Dorning, Scott Detrow, Elena Burnett

Published February 21, 2025 at 5:08 PM EST

President Trump says he wants to eliminate the Department of Education. NPR speaks with two former education secretaries to dig into what this means and whether it's possible.

Jordan-Marie Smith

Jordan-Marie Smith is a producer with NPR's All Things Considered.

Courtney Dorning

Courtney Dorning has been a Senior Editor for NPR's All Things Considered since November 2018. In that role, she's the lead editor for the daily show. Dorning is responsible for newsmaker interviews, lead news segments and the small, quirky features that are a hallmark of the network's flagship afternoon magazine program.

See stories by Courtney Dorning

Scott Detrow

Scott Detrow is a White House correspondent for NPR and co-hosts the NPR Politics Podcast.

See stories by Scott Detrow

Elena Burnett

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What it would mean to eliminate the Education Department