U.S. President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education, fulfilling a campaign promise and a long-held goal of some conservatives.
Trump accused the agency of “breathtaking failures” and vowed to return the money it controls to individual states.
The White House acknowledged that closing the agency outright would require an act of Congress.
This move is already facing legal challenges from those seeking to block the agency’s closure as well as sweeping cuts to its staff announced last week.
Surrounded by children seated at school desks in the White House, Trump said, “The U.S. spends more money on education by far than any other country,” but added that students rank near the bottom of the list.
The White House stated that the administration would move to cut parts of the department that remain within legal boundaries.
The executive order is likely to face legal challenges, as many of the Trump administration’s efforts to shrink the size of the federal government have faced opposition.