WASHINGTON (AP) — Throughout his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump scorned the federal Ministry of Education, describing it as being infiltrated by ” radicals, fanatics and Marxists.”

He chose Linda McMahonan old one wrestling directorto lead the department. But like many conservative politicians before him, Trump has called for a complete dismantling of the department — a tall order that would likely require congressional action.

The main role of the agency is financial. Each year, it distributes billions in federal money to colleges and schools and manages the federal student loan portfolio. Closing the department would mean redistributing each of these tasks to another agency. The Ministry of Education also plays an important regulatory role in services for students, ranging from those who have disability to low-income and homeless children.

Indeed, federal money for education is at the heart of Trump’s plans for colleges and schools. Trump has pledged to cut federal funds for schools and colleges that advocate “critical race theory, transgender insanity and other inappropriate racial, sexual or political content” and to reward states and schools that end the mandate of teachers and promulgate universal measures. school choice programs.

Federal funding represents a relatively small share of public school budgets – about 14%. Colleges and universities are relying more on it, through research grants as well as federal financial aid that helps students pay tuition.

Here’s a look at some of the department’s key functions and how Trump said he might approach them.

Student Loans and Financial Aid

The Department of Education manages approximately $1.5 trillion in student debt for more than 40 million borrowers. It also oversees the Pell Grant, which provides aid to students below a certain income threshold, and administers the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which universities use to award financial aid.

The Biden administration has made student loan forgiveness a flagship effort of the department’s work. Since Biden’s initial attempt to cancel student loans was overturned by the Supreme Courtthe administration has forgiven more than $175 billion for more than 4.8 million borrowers through a series of changes to the programs it administers, such as Public Service Loan Forgiveness.

Efforts to forgive the loans have been met with resistance from Republicans, including litigation from several GOP-led states.

Trump has critical Biden’s efforts to cancel the debt are considered illegal and unfair, calling them a “total catastrophe” that “taunted young people.” Trump’s plan for student debt is uncertain: He has not released detailed plans.

Civil Rights Enforcement

Through its Office for Civil Rights, the Department of Education conducts investigations and issues guidance on how civil rights laws should be applied, such as for LGBTQ+ students and students of color. The office also oversees a large data collection project that tracks disparities in resources, access to courses and discipline for students from different racial and socioeconomic groups.

Trump suggested a different interpretation of the office’s civil rights role. In his campaign platform, he said he would file civil rights lawsuits to “stop schools from discriminating on the basis of race.” He described education diversity and equity policies as “explicit and illegal discrimination” and said colleges that use them will pay fines and have their endowments taxed.

Trump also pledged to exclude transgender students Title IX protections, which affect school policies on student pronoun use, restrooms and locker rooms. Originally passed in 1972, Title IX was first used as a women’s rights law. This year, the Biden administration said the law prohibits discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientationbut Trump can undo that.

College accreditation

Although the Department of Education does not directly accredit colleges and universities, it oversees the system by reviewing all federally recognized accrediting agencies. Institutions of higher education must be accredited to access federal money for student financial aid.

Accreditation came under scrutiny from conservatives in 2022, when the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools questioned political interference in the system. Florida Public Colleges and universities. Trump said he would fire “radical left accreditors” and accept applications for new accreditors who uphold standards including “defending American tradition” and removing “Marxist” diversity administrators.

Although the Secretary of Education has the authority to terminate relationships with individual accrediting agencies, this is an arduous process that has rarely been pursued. Under President Barack Obama, the department took steps to defund the accreditors of a now-defunct for-profit college chain, but the Trump administration blocked the move. The group, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, was disbanded by the Biden administration in 2022.

Money for schools

Much of the Education Department’s money for elementary and secondary schools goes through large federal programs, such as Title I for low-income schools and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. These programs support services for students with disabilities, reduce class sizes with additional teaching positions, and pay social workers and other non-teaching roles in schools.

During his campaign, Trump called for transferring these functions to the states. He did not provide details on how the agency’s core functions of sending federal funds to local districts and schools would be handled.

The Heritage Foundation Project 2025a radical proposal outlining a far-right vision for the country that overlaps in some areas with Trump’s campaign, offers a model. He suggests first handing oversight of programs for disabled children and low-income children to the Department of Health and Human Services, before ultimately phasing out funding and converting it to no-strings-attached grants to states.

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Associated Press education writer Collin Binkley contributed to this report.

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