Washington D.C.: In a major decision with far-reaching implications, the United States Supreme Court has allowed former President Donald Trump’s administration to move forward with its proposal to significantly reduce the size of the Department of Education. The ruling follows the Court’s 6-3 vote to lift an earlier injunction imposed by a federal district judge.
The decision clears the path for the Trump administration to continue efforts to eliminate the Department of Education, a move that is part of a broader strategy to decentralize education governance and give more power to individual states.
The emergency ruling overturns a May 22 order issued by Judge Myong Joun of the U.S. District Court in Boston, which directed the federal government to reinstate around 1,400 employees who had been laid off during a wave of departmental cuts. Judge Joun had warned that the layoffs could “cripple the department’s ability to function.”
This marks Trump’s second Supreme Court victory within a week relating to his federal downsizing plans. Just days earlier, the Court had lifted temporary blocks on a wider initiative to reduce the size of the federal workforce.
The Trump administration argues that eliminating the Education Department would restore state sovereignty in education policy, reduce federal overreach, and streamline bureaucratic costs. However, critics—including a coalition of 21 Democratic state attorneys general, unions, and school districts—argue that the move would severely undermine key federal responsibilities.
Created in 1979 by Congress, the Department of Education oversees student performance monitoring, civil rights enforcement, federal student aid programs, and funding for low-income and special-needs students. Opponents of the decision fear that abolishing the department would leave a significant void in ensuring educational equity across the country.
With legal and political challenges still looming, the debate around the future of federal involvement in education is far from over. Yet, with the Supreme Court’s latest decision, the Trump camp has gained significant ground in reshaping how education policy may be governed in the future.
