President Donald J. Trump issued a statement recognizing American Education Week and outlined his administration’s approach to education policy.
In the message, President Trump emphasized the need for an effective education system, stating, “A great country demands a great education system—one that prepares our children to lead, innovates, and secures a stronger future for America. This American Education Week, my Administration is committed to building an education system that empowers our students and families, prioritizes choice, and always pursues the good, the true, and the beautiful.”
The president criticized the Department of Education’s performance since its establishment in 1979. He claimed that despite spending over $3 trillion on education programs, there has been little improvement in literacy rates or mathematics achievement among students. According to Trump: “Since its creation in 1979, the Department of Education has spent over $3 trillion on ‘education’ with virtually nothing to show for it. Instead of building a more literate country, seven out of ten eighth graders today cannot read proficiently. Instead of preparing future generations for careers in science and technology, math scores for 13-year-olds this year are at their lowest level in decades. Instead of building a better education system, unaccountable bureaucrats dictated what children learn, which left our students further behind than ever before. Schools designed for teaching became burdened by regulations and paperwork, and classrooms designed for discovery became laboratories for deranged social experiments, socialist political agendas, and divisive ideologies. This national disgrace ended on January 20, 2025.”
Trump stated that his administration dismantled the Department of Education to return authority over schooling decisions to states and local communities. He said: “By dismantling the Department of Education, my Administration has returned control of education to where it belongs—with States, local communities, and parents who are best equipped to meet the needs of their students. My Administration is also providing every available opportunity for parents to enrich the education of their children through individual choice. We are rooting out the poisonous influence of gender ideology, Critical Race Theory, and the hollow dogmas of so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion from the halls of our educational institutions and in their place we are restoring truth, merit, and patriotism.”
Looking ahead at future initiatives during American Education Week, President Trump highlighted efforts led by First Lady Melania Trump aimed at expanding artificial intelligence (AI) learning opportunities across schools: “As we fix failures of the past we are also looking forward to the future. With the support and leadership of First Lady Melania Trump we are advancing artificial intelligence (AI) education for America’s youth and educators. Through the Nationwide Presidential AI Challenge our students and teachers will cultivate skills and understanding necessary to use and create next generation technology. And dozens of leading American businesses non-profits educational institutions have stepped up to help our Nation win AI race committing billions dollars investment AI education programs.”
The message concluded with a call for high-quality schooling as essential for America’s future: “Every American student deserves a high-quality education. Through these actions my Administration is restoring common sense to classrooms returning real authority to parents building generation thinkers builders leaders who are ready carry our Nation forward America’s Golden Age begins in classroom by restoring greatest education system world we are building stronger future culture children beloved country.”
