President Donald Trump is making waves in his second term by swiftly implementing policies aimed at reshaping K-12 education. On Wednesday, as part of National School Choice Week, he signed two executive orders: one focused on expanding school choice and another targeting what he calls “radical indoctrination” in public schools.
Targeting “Radical Indoctrination”
Trump’s first executive order directs federal agencies to devise a plan to cut funding to schools that promote “discriminatory equity ideology” and “gender ideology.” It reinstates the 1776 Commission, an initiative from his first term aimed at fostering “patriotic education.” The administration argues that many schools engage in practices that categorize students based on race, sex, or gender identity in ways that diminish individual merit and agency.
The order defines “discriminatory equity ideology” as any curriculum that suggests certain groups are inherently superior or oppressed. It also attacks “gender ideology,” which it claims pressures students into questioning their biological sex. The directive instructs agencies, including the Departments of Education and Health and Human Services, to identify federal grants and funding streams that may support these ideologies and develop a process to defund schools engaged in such practices.
Opponents of this policy argue that the federal government has no authority over school curriculum, as education policy is traditionally handled at the state level. Legal experts also point out that cutting funding would likely trigger lawsuits, as the federal government cannot unilaterally withhold funds without due process. However, the move signals Trump’s intent to push back against radical progressive educational policies and to add conditions on federal funding.
Expanding School Choice
The second executive order aims to expand school choice by directing federal agencies to find ways to reallocate funds toward private and charter schools. The order tasks the Education Department with issuing guidance on how states can use Title I funds—originally intended for low-income students—to support school choice initiatives. It also instructs the Department of Health and Human Services to determine how child care subsidies could be redirected to private and religious schools.
Additionally, Trump’s order calls on the Departments of Defense and Interior to expand choice programs for military families and Native American students, the only two groups for whom the federal government directly operates schools. It also prioritizes school choice in federal grant-making programs.
A Legislative Push for School Choice
Trump’s executive action coincides with a Republican-led push in Congress to establish a federal tax-credit scholarship program. The bill, championed by Senators Tim Scott (R-SC) and Bill Cassidy (R-LA), would allocate $10 billion annually in tax credits for individuals and businesses donating to organizations that provide scholarships for private school tuition. The measure aims to give families greater flexibility in choosing their children’s education, particularly those in underserved communities.
The Road Ahead
While Trump’s executive orders do not immediately change funding structures, they set the stage for policy battles at the federal and state levels. Legal challenges are almost certain, particularly regarding the effort to strip funding from schools based on ideological concerns. However, Trump’s actions reinforce his administration’s commitment to reshaping education by expanding school choice and pushing back against what conservatives see as progressive overreach in the classroom.
With Congress also advancing school choice measures, Trump’s latest moves mark a significant shift in federal education policy, making school choice and curriculum reform central themes of his second term.
This comes along with Trump wanting to shut down the Department of Education, a long held conservative belief, and transfer most of its authority to other agencies and transferring authority to local school boards and governments.