Washington: President Donald Trump signed two executive orders on Wednesday aimed at expanding parental choice in education and restricting federal funding for curricula he claims promote “anti-American” ideologies on race and gender.
Issued just a week into his second term, the orders reflect Trump’s commitment to reshaping the U.S. education system in line with conservative priorities. Supporters argue the measures protect parental rights and promote academic excellence, while critics warn they could undermine public schools and limit discussions on racial and social issues.
Expanding School Choice Initiatives
The first executive order directs the Department of Education to issue guidance on how states can use federal funds to support school choice initiatives. However, it does not provide specific implementation details.
“It is the policy of my Administration to support parents in choosing and directing the upbringing and education of their children,” Trump stated in the order. “Too many children do not thrive in their assigned, government-run K-12 school.”
The directive calls for prioritizing federal funding for alternatives to traditional public schooling, including private, religious, and charter schools, as well as homeschooling. It also proposes allowing military families to use Pentagon funds for school choice and granting Native American families within the Bureau of Indian Education the ability to direct federal resources toward their preferred schools.
Critics argue that diverting public funds to private education could weaken the public school system, which serves approximately 50 million students. Teachers’ unions and Democratic lawmakers have voiced concerns that such policies would reduce resources for public schools while failing to guarantee improved outcomes.
Recent data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress highlights ongoing challenges in U.S. education, with one-third of eighth graders testing below the “basic” reading level—the highest percentage in three decades.
Frederick Hess, an education expert at the American Enterprise Institute, estimated that Trump’s order could affect the allocation of $30 billion to $40 billion in federal education grants. “This represents the most emphatic federal support for school choice we’ve ever seen,” he said.
Restricting Federal Funding for Certain Curricula
The second executive order prohibits federal funds from being used for curriculum development, teacher training, or other programs related to “gender ideology or discriminatory equity ideology.”
“In recent years, however, parents have witnessed schools indoctrinate their children in radical, anti-American ideologies while deliberately blocking parental oversight,” the directive states.
Trump and his allies have frequently criticized public schools for incorporating discussions on race, gender, and systemic inequality, arguing that such teachings distort history and instill divisive narratives. His administration contends that some educators promote concepts such as “white privilege” and “unconscious bias” in ways that encourage guilt rather than historical understanding.
Although the order does not explicitly mention critical race theory (CRT), it employs rhetoric commonly used by its opponents. While CRT is an academic framework primarily taught in law schools, conservatives have used the term to criticize K-12 curricula they believe place excessive focus on racial discrimination and systemic oppression.
Basil Smikle Jr., a political strategist, warned that the order could significantly impact classroom discussions. “I would imagine that it would restrict the kind of reading materials available to students, even outside of the classroom,” he said.
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Christina Greer, an associate professor of political science at Fordham University, said the move was expected. “As a candidate, he said there was radical indoctrination of students,” she noted. “He’s making sure to frighten students and educators across the country so they can’t teach the real history of the United States.”
During his inaugural address last week, Trump reiterated his stance, condemning educational programs that, in his view, teach children “to be ashamed of themselves—in many cases, to hate our country.”
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Legislative Efforts and Future Implications
While the executive orders take immediate effect, their long-term impact remains uncertain. Trump’s push for school choice aligns with a broader conservative effort in Congress, where lawmakers have reintroduced a bill to establish a federal school voucher program with an estimated $10 billion in annual tax credits.
Josh Cowen, a professor of education policy at Michigan State University, described Trump’s executive order as a strong political statement. “This is an aggressive move to solidify his position on vouchers,” he said, adding that Trump’s ability to reallocate education funds is limited without congressional approval.
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As these policies take shape, debates over federal education funding, curriculum content, and school choice are expected to escalate, with legal and political challenges likely to follow.
