Part 5/7:
The debate over the future of the Department of Education is not new; it has roots in historical discussions surrounding the government's role in education. References were made to past calls, including those by previous presidents for dismantling such bureaucracies to create savings and reallocate resources more efficiently.
The current educational trends, particularly in fourth and eighth-grade reading scores, reveal concerning declines, exacerbated by the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This trajectory underscores the fragile state of education across the country, making the stakes attached to these policy changes even more significant.