The Senate confirmation of Linda McMahon as U.S. Secretary of Education marks a dangerous turning point for public education in America. This decision aligns seamlessly with the Trump administration’s Project 2025 agenda, which, as we already warned, is actively dismantling the Department of Education (ED) through executive orders (EOs), stripping away essential protections and resources from our most vulnerable students — from preschool to college. Project 2025 agenda call for “cutting wasteful spending”— which is code for hurting the most vulnerable. But for all of Elon Musk’s bluster, the $900 billion dollars he boasts to have already cut from ED is a lie about the savings he claims to have made. But it’s crystal clear that he would rather sacrifice America’s students with his bedazzled chainsaw so that billionaires like him can get a tax break.

Linda McMahon, a former professional wrestling CEO with minimal experience in educational leadership, has been entrusted with the very institution she is poised to deconstruct. Her confirmation signals a blatant disregard for the federal government’s responsibility to ensure equitable access to a high-quality education for all students in America.

What a Future Without Federal Education Support Looks Like

Project 2025 outlines a dystopian vision limiting education access and resegregating P-12 and higher education across America. It proposes the elimination of Title I funding, which would result in the elimination of more than 180,000 teaching positions, affecting 2.8 million students, by effectively withdrawing $18 billion from schools in low-income communities. It seeks to decimate the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) programs, abandoning students with disabilities. It advocates for the eventual elimination of the Community Eligibility Provision as a means to provide universal free school meals, leaving 24 million children at risk to go hungry. This agenda is not about reform or cost-savings; it’s about erasing decades of progress, equity, and support for students who have for far too long have gone without these vital services.

But the damage doesn’t stop with P-12 schools.

Students Won’t Be Able to Afford College

The Department of Education distributes nearly $100 billion in federal aid to students each year through Pell Grants, student loans, and work-study programs — critical lifelines for students who otherwise couldn’t afford to attend or persist in obtaining a college education. With McMahon at the helm, this aid is in jeopardy in the following ways:

• Pell Grants Could Be Slashed or Eliminated: Millions of students from low-income backgrounds rely on Pell Grants to afford tuition.
• The Federal Student Loan System Could Be Dismantled: The Department of Education currently manages federal student loans and borrower protections. If its responsibilities are stripped away or defunded, students could be left vulnerable to predatory lenders and skyrocketing interest rates, leaving them with a lifetime of student debt.
• HBCUs and MSIs Are at Risk: Historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and minority-serving institutions (MSIs) receive billions of dollars in federal support, including grants and institutional funding. Under McMahon’s leadership, these investments could be drastically reduced or eliminated altogether — yet another assault on people of color.
• College Affordability Denied: Republican budget proposals have already put Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) and Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) on the chopping block. But eliminating ED altogether would accelerate their eradication through administrative roadblocks. Under this agenda, borrowers could face deliberate delays in application approvals, removal of critical resources from federal websites, and outright bans on essential navigation tools — all deliberately designed to make repayment more confusing and burdensome. The result? Higher student debt loans, fewer pathways to debt relief, and a crushing financial burden on millions of former, current, and future college students.

A Direct Attack on Civil Rights and Protections

The confirmation of McMahon is a direct assault on the civil rights protections that safeguard students from discrimination and bias. The Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) is already being weaponized against people of color. OCR is supposed to protect against racial discrimination (Title VI), gender discrimination (Title IX), and enforce protections for students with disabilities (IDEA). All of these protections are in jeopardy; and OCR, while suspending all current cases, will instead focus on allegations of “reverse racism.” This move establishes an education system that only works for a white, wealthy, privileged few.

We Must Act Now

Simply put: If we are truly to reach American’s “Golden Age,” we need to build a better, stronger Department of Education, not tear it down altogether. We will continue to fight for our nation’s students alongside our partners against policies that threaten the future of public education. We now call upon educators, parents and families, community members, students, and advocates to join us in this battle for America’s future.

Take Action:

• Stay Informed: Follow us here at edtrust.org and all our social media channels to learn about the implications of Project 2025, policies to uproot the Department of Ed, and the threats to P-12 education and higher education funding.
• Mobilize: Organize within your schools, universities, and communities to raise awareness and advocate for the protection of public education.
• Engage Policymakers: Call, email, and attend townhalls to urge your senators and congressional leaders to demand protections for students, from preschool to college.

The future of our nation’s children and college students depends on our collective action. Together, we can fight against efforts to dismantle public education and ensure that every student, regardless of background, has a fair shot to succeed and live the American Dream.

Video: A statement from EdTrust on the confirmation of Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education

Linda McMahon has now been confirmed as Secretary of Education. Augustus Mays, EdTrust’s VP of Partnerships and Engagement has a message for what this moment means for education in our county.