In the initial days of President Donald Trump’s second term, he has signed several executive orders (EO) that may have significant implications for education. Shortly after taking the Oath of Office, President Trump signed an EO that orders a federal hiring freeze at agencies for 90 days. This order would prevent agencies like the Department of Education’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education (OCTAE) from hiring additional career staff to implement CTE programs.
President Trump also made diversity, equity and inclusion a top area of focus. The first DEI order would end DEI programs across federal agencies. This EO mandates the cessation of DEI-related initiatives, training, policies, and contracts within 60 days, leading to the removal of DEI resources from agency websites and the cancellation of associated training and service contracts.
On Tuesday, President Trump signed a second DEI related EO, which declares that DEI policies and programs can violate federal civil rights laws and directs federal agencies to combat illegal private sector DEI preferences, mandates, policies and activities. The EO also directs each federal agency to identify up to nine corporations or associations, large foundations, or colleges with endowments over $1 billion as potential targets for “civil compliance investigations.”
It is important to keep in mind that these EOs do not change current law related to Perkins or other education programs, so requirements around things like disaggregated data reporting and addressing gaps in performance are not impacted at this time.
President Trump also took actions to rescind many of the EO’s President Biden signed during his term. This includes several on discrimination related to gender identity and sexual orientation, the reopening of schools during the pandemic and President Biden’s priorities on advancing equity to various minority populations.
In the case of many of the Executive Orders, more information and guidance will be needed from the Department of Education before the impact on school districts or postsecondary institutions can be fully determined. A number of the EOs are likely to be challenged in court as well.
In the coming weeks, ACTE will continue to track all EO’s that could have an impact on education. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to ACTE’s Government Relations Manager, Jimmy Koch ([email protected]).
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