The Trump Administration shut down the Department of Education last month, causing parents, teachers and institutions to worry about the future of education in the country. This move aligns with the right’s repeated attacks against the Department of Education by some Congressional Republicans.
On Thursday, March 20, President Donald Trump signed an executive order that the White House describes as “returning power over education to families instead of bureaucracies.” A fact sheet further details that more than $3 trillion has been spent since the department’s inception in 1979, without achieving measurable improvements in student achievement, as reflected in standardized National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores. Sadly, the bipartisan war that has been brewing since the late 70s when Republicans called to shut down the Carter-era department of education has finally reached a tipping point.
“I want every parent in America to be empowered to send their child to public, private, charter, or faith-based school of their choice. The time for universal school choice has come. As we return education to the states, I will use every power I have to give parents this right,” Trump said.
“These cuts affect every undergraduate student today,” said Allen Koh during an interview recently. As the CEO of Cardinal Education, his global consulting firm specializes in guiding students and families striving for admission to elite universities.
For many students, financial aid is essential for covering college tuition. With these cuts, middle-class and low-income families will face significant challenges when it comes to securing admissions to these universities.
A Landmark study published in 2023 called: Diversifying Society’s Leaders? The Determinants and Causal Effects of Admission to Highly Selective Private Colleges shows three factors that influence the high-income admissions advantage: “ (1) preferences for children of alumni, (2) weight placed on non-academic credentials, which tend to be stronger for students applying from private high schools that have affluent student bodies, and (3) recruitment of athletes, who tend to come from higher-income families.”
According to the study, students’ chances of working in prestigious firms upon graduation increase by a greater percentage, which shows how helpful it would be financially to more students of lower income brackets to gain these admissions.
“I don’t know that the admissions process [to elite Universities] is going to favor wealthier students more, I just know it has always favored very wealthy students,” Koh said.
According to Koh, the policy change could result in fewer opportunities for current undergraduates to develop critical skills, making it harder for them to compete in the job market. Schools like Columbia University in New York, and Yale University have substantial endowment funds that will help mitigate whatever this current policy throws at them. However, for students from low-income backgrounds, these cuts mean a heavier reliance on private loans. With rising tuition costs, these budget cuts will have a negative impact on already disadvantaged students from lower income backgrounds, thus further widening the access gap.
“A lot of present day undergraduates will have far fewer opportunities to further their skills, and they will end up hitting the job market with less skills, as compared to people who have come before them,” he explained.
He also questioned the legality of Trump’s actions stating, “You know, it’s debatable whether [Trump] is allowed to make these cuts by the way – that will go through the whole legal system.”
Indeed, many groups share Koh’s concerns. The National Education Association (NEA) and several civil rights organizations have filed lawsuits against the administration, arguing that dismantling the DOE overrides congressional authority and negatively impacts students.
Beyond financial barriers and accessibility, students today face additional challenges that include declining motivation to study due to AI technology and social media distractions. As education undergoes dramatic shifts, these cuts may only deepen existing disparities, making elite university admissions even more elusive for many.
“Reading and writing are really underrated skills,” Koh said. “Some people say: with ChatGPT why do I need to know how to read and write? Well, if you don’t know how to read and write well, you don’t have a chance of being able to understand when AI is hallucinating, and mis-leading you or when you’re being manipulated.”
He explained that students require those core skills to better their math scores, do well in English and history, and take advanced courses that improve their chances of admission, and these skills are better learned early on in life.
As education undergoes dramatic shifts, the elimination of the Department of Education will surely deepen existing disparities, making elite university admissions even more elusive for many. Students from lower income backgrounds and their families, unfortunately, are left to navigate an increasingly challenging landscape.
Weruche Uzoka was a member of the 2022 cohort of the Connecticut Mirror’s Community Editorial Board.