The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) was created in 1980 to consolidate federal education programs into a single Cabinet-level department. Today, DOE houses 17 offices responsible for maintaining education data, enforcing civil rights laws, supporting special education, distributing grants, and ensuring access to education. Some politicians, including President Trump in a 2025 executive order, have called for dismantling the Department. What would that change?

As the U.S. Congress debates whether to eliminate the Department of Education, one of the most important questions is whether federal, state, and local education policies foster positive education outcomes. One of the most important tools for measuring student achievement in the United States is the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), often called The Nation’s Report Card. What does this data tell us about educational achievement?

In a 215-214 vote on May 22, 2025, the House of Representatives passed the 2025 Budget Reconciliation bill, also referred to as the "One Big Beautiful Bill,” sending it to the Senate. The legislation represents a major policy shift, affecting programs ranging from Medicaid work requirements to how overtime pay is taxed. But what exactly does it do? How will it affect the federal deficit?