How to Really Shrink the Education Department

Beyond Trump’s executive order, Congress needs to reform student loans and send K-12 money to states

WSJ editorial. Excerpts:

"Its $1.6 trillion in student debt would make it the fifth largest U.S. bank. The department doles out $270 billion a year, which it can use to promote a President’s agenda and please parochial interests in Congress."

"Some grants are based on complicated formulas that reward profligate states like California and New York. Title I grants are based largely on the number of children in poverty or receiving welfare benefits in a state, as well as per-pupil spending."

"Department employees pick winners and losers based on arbitrary and often political criteria"

"Last year’s continuing budget resolution included numerous grants to test innovative education models"

"There are also more than a dozen grants for schools for low-income kids"

"Federal K-12 spending has tripled over the last two decades—more than state and local funding has."

"Few of these programs have improved learning, judging by stagnating test scores."