Corey Turner

Well, and not a lot, at least not through official channels. The White House did not respond to a request for comment. But multiple sources have told me, folks who are not allowed to speak publicly, the Trump administration is eager to close the department. And so in the near term...

It plans to use this executive action to try to move quickly to cut programs and staff that were not created by Congress. So they're not protected by law. The idea being these will be the programs that are the easiest to cut, essentially the low hanging fruit. The problem here, Steve, is the department itself and its signature responsibilities were all created by Congress.

It plans to use this executive action to try to move quickly to cut programs and staff that were not created by Congress. So they're not protected by law. The idea being these will be the programs that are the easiest to cut, essentially the low hanging fruit. The problem here, Steve, is the department itself and its signature responsibilities were all created by Congress.

It plans to use this executive action to try to move quickly to cut programs and staff that were not created by Congress. So they're not protected by law. The idea being these will be the programs that are the easiest to cut, essentially the low hanging fruit. The problem here, Steve, is the department itself and its signature responsibilities were all created by Congress.

And so they're much harder to cut.

And so they're much harder to cut.

And so they're much harder to cut.

Yeah, so the department has a budget of around $79 billion. On the K-12 side, it administers Title I, which sends extra funding to schools in lower-income communities, both urban and rural. And it administers IDEA, that's the civil rights law that guarantees special education. And obviously on the higher ed side, it manages the $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio.

Yeah, so the department has a budget of around $79 billion. On the K-12 side, it administers Title I, which sends extra funding to schools in lower-income communities, both urban and rural. And it administers IDEA, that's the civil rights law that guarantees special education. And obviously on the higher ed side, it manages the $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio.

Yeah, so the department has a budget of around $79 billion. On the K-12 side, it administers Title I, which sends extra funding to schools in lower-income communities, both urban and rural. And it administers IDEA, that's the civil rights law that guarantees special education. And obviously on the higher ed side, it manages the $1.6 trillion student loan portfolio.

Now, I have spoken with a bunch of experts over the past year who all say they really don't see how a president can make meaningful legal changes to these programs without Congress. And that's why, Steve, I'm hearing from my sources that this executive action would essentially acknowledge that by calling on Congress to either cut or move some or all of these programs to other agencies.

Now, I have spoken with a bunch of experts over the past year who all say they really don't see how a president can make meaningful legal changes to these programs without Congress. And that's why, Steve, I'm hearing from my sources that this executive action would essentially acknowledge that by calling on Congress to either cut or move some or all of these programs to other agencies.

Now, I have spoken with a bunch of experts over the past year who all say they really don't see how a president can make meaningful legal changes to these programs without Congress. And that's why, Steve, I'm hearing from my sources that this executive action would essentially acknowledge that by calling on Congress to either cut or move some or all of these programs to other agencies.

The challenge for the administration is there have been plenty of past efforts to close the department and rewrite the rules of big programs like Title I, but lawmakers, including many Republicans, have always opposed them.

The challenge for the administration is there have been plenty of past efforts to close the department and rewrite the rules of big programs like Title I, but lawmakers, including many Republicans, have always opposed them.

The challenge for the administration is there have been plenty of past efforts to close the department and rewrite the rules of big programs like Title I, but lawmakers, including many Republicans, have always opposed them.

Yeah, that's right. At least 74 non-management Department of Education staff have been placed on paid administrative leave. They all got this email in the last few days saying they're being placed on leave because of President Trump's executive action targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Yeah, that's right. At least 74 non-management Department of Education staff have been placed on paid administrative leave. They all got this email in the last few days saying they're being placed on leave because of President Trump's executive action targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

Yeah, that's right. At least 74 non-management Department of Education staff have been placed on paid administrative leave. They all got this email in the last few days saying they're being placed on leave because of President Trump's executive action targeting diversity, equity and inclusion programs.

In a statement I got, a department spokesperson said, quote, we are evaluating staffing in line with a commitment to prioritizing meaningful learning ahead of divisive ideology in schools and putting student outcomes above special interests. But I spoke yesterday and last night with a bunch of these employees, and they all told me they don't work in DEI. They're career staff.