Concerned about the devastating impact of the Trump administration’s goal to eliminate the US Department of Education, North Carolina educators and parents recently delivered letters to Senator Thom Tillis, urging him to oppose efforts to dismantle the department.
Despite the opposition from his constituents, Sen. Tillis ignored these concerns and voted to confirm McMahon, alongside every other Senate Republican who cast a vote.
According to WRAL, more than 202,000 North Carolina students depend on federally funded special education programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). In 2025 alone, the state is set to receive $448 million in IDEA funding, as reported by the North Carolina Association of Educators (NCAE).
Additionally, over 750,000 students in North Carolina benefit from $534 million in Title I funding, a program designed to ensure all students—regardless of income—receive a high-quality education. “Those funds mean more teachers, support staff, and resources for the kids in our schools who need it most,” NCAE stated in a message to WRAL.
The Trump administration, with backing from Elon Musk, is pushing to eliminate this funding, a move that would disproportionately harm North Carolina’s rural and urban Title I schools, particularly those serving low-income students. Senator Tillis has consistently aligned himself with Trump’s efforts to shrink the federal government and has supported all of Trump’s Cabinet nominations—including former WWE CEO Linda McMahon as Secretary of Education.
A recent Meredith College poll found that a majority of North Carolinians oppose abolishing the USDOE, with 63% against the move and only 30% in favor.
Following McMahon’s confirmation, President Trump is expected to sign an executive order directing her to begin the process of shutting down the department. The Wall Street Journal first reported that this order has been in the works since before Trump’s inauguration. While the president lacks the authority to unilaterally dismantle the department—an action that would require 60 votes in the Senate—McMahon has been instructed to take every possible step to reduce the department’s role to “the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.”
In a letter following her confirmation, McMahon signaled her commitment to this plan, stating, “My vision is aligned with the President’s: to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children.”
Even before the official order is released, the Education Department has begun significant cuts, eliminating over 1,300 jobs and terminating office leases nationwide. An agency official confirmed that these reductions could impact nearly half of the department’s workforce. The move is part of the administration’s broader effort to shrink the federal government, particularly its smallest Cabinet agency.
“Today’s RIF reflects our commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” McMahon stated in a post on social media.
As the Trump administration moves forward with its plans, North Carolina’s students, parents, and educators continue to fight back, urging lawmakers to preserve the essential programs that support the state’s most vulnerable learners.
