As of now, much of the country is still in shock; the United States Department of Education has officially been shut down by Donald Trump, leaving students, teachers, and educational administrators wondering what the future holds. The Department of Education was established in 1979 and is liable for funding schools, creating laws, and providing fairness to all students under education. However, due to its shutdown, many people have begun to worry that government support for schools will be drastically reduced, potentially affecting everything from standardized testing to special programs. At Yorba Linda High School, reactions have been a mix of concern and support for the shutdown of the DOE.
For a handful of students, one of the concerns is how this shutdown will affect college admissions and financial aid. The Department of Education played a key role in federal student loans and pensions, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) program. Without any word from the government, many students wonder how these programs will continue, as upperclassmen applying for college are left with uncertainty. Christian Benemie (12), a current senior at YLHS, notes, “I just found out about the shutdown, and it might get a little stressful for me and some of my friends. Many programs are shutting down, which might affect a lot of students.” Even though this is just the beginning, nobody is sure what will happen next, and others share similar concerns.
So what comes next? California state officials have announced a couple of times to schools that they will work to maintain education standards and funding despite the loss of federal support. However, with the Department of Education gone, the long-term impact on policies like Title IX protections, special education programs, and nationwide testing standards remains uncertain. Although some might feel this change is a downfall to society, others sense that the effects will benefit students and teachers. Mr. Piestch (S), one of Yorba Linda High Schools’ outstanding teachers, who has been in the education field for a while now, also notes, “I think this shutdown is great because it gives states and local districts the ability to do what they want to do, specifically for students’ needs and school communities. It will be interesting to see, but I hope this will give schools the freedom to implement new programs or existing programs based on what our students need in their area.” Furthermore, shutting down the DOE is currently a controversial idea worldwide with disadvantages and advantages. Some pros are that policies would be adjusted based on the clear needs of the community rather than the entire US. Fewer regulations could also potentially save billions of dollars since schools would generally focus more on students’ success instead of trying to follow the strict government rules.

On another note, many might have realized that Trump’s education approach is very different from some of his predecessors. For example, his main focus is giving parents more choices about where to send their kids to school. He supports charter schools (which are public schools with more flexibility) and private schools, hoping that more competition will make schools better. He also seems to want to step back from certain rules that he feels are holding schools back, especially in terms of how the federal government was involved in education. One significant move he made that stirred the media a bit was appointing Betsy DeVos as the Secretary of Education. She’s a concerned supporter of having the freedom to choose a school, but many people seem to disagree with her views. Some may think that her changes would help improve education by giving parents more control, while others feel that these changes might hurt public schools. Since public schools ultimately serve most students, taking money away from them or weakening the system for students seems counterproductive.
So, under Donald Trump’s leadership, the Department of Education has had to make some changes. It is currently a mix of supporters and critics all over the media, depending on people’s views of how education should work. As we adjust to this new reality, Yorba Linda High School—along with other schools across the entire country—might have to prepare for a period of change. For now, many people debate whether this shift will eventually benefit or harm the education system. However, if anything can be certain under these situations, it is that the US is aware that the future of education is now in the hands of the state and local governments more than ever before.