States’ Education Reclamation Act of 2025
States’ Education Reclamation Act of 2025
Plain Language Summary
# Summary of States' Education Reclamation Act of 2025 **What the Bill Would Do** This bill would eliminate the federal Department of Education entirely and transfer its responsibilities to other agencies or directly to the states. Instead of the federal government administering education programs, the Treasury would send grants directly to states for K-12 and higher education for the next nine years (2025-2033). The amount of funding would be based on what was provided in 2025, minus money for programs being moved to other departments. Special education programs would go to the Department of Health and Human Services, while job training programs would go to the Department of Labor. **Who It Affects and Key Requirements** This change would affect students, teachers, school districts, colleges, and parents across the country, as well as federal employees working at the Department of Education.
States would gain more control over how education money is spent but would also need to follow new rules—including hiring independent auditors each year to track how they spend the federal grants. This represents a significant shift of power from the federal government to individual states in determining education policy and spending priorities. **Current Status** The bill was introduced in the House by Rep. David Rouzer (R-NC) and is currently in committee, meaning it has not yet been voted on by the full House.
CRS Official Summary
States' Education Reclamation Act of 2025This bill abolishes the Department of Education (ED) and repeals any program for which it has administrative responsibility.The Department of the Treasury must provide grants to states, for FY2025-FY2033, for elementary, secondary, and postsecondary education purposes permitted by state law. The level of funding is set at the amount provided to states for federal elementary and secondary education programs and the amount provided for federal postsecondary education programs, respectively, for FY2025, minus the funding provided for education programs that the bill transfers to other federal agencies.States must contract for an annual audit of their expenditures or transfers of grant funds.Program administrative responsibility and delegation of authority are transferred as follows:ED's job training programs to the Department of Labor,each special education grant program under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS),ED's Indian education programs to the Department of the Interior,each Impact Aid program under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 to the Department of Defense,the Federal Pell Grant program and each federal student loan program to Treasury, andprograms under the jurisdiction of the Institute of Education Sciences or the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship Program to HHS.The Government Accountability Office must report to Congress on (1) the feasibility of reducing the federal tax burden and eliminating federal involvement in providing grants for education programs, and (2) the feasibility of successor federal agencies maintaining transferred education programs.
Latest Action
Referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce.