President-elect Donald Trump’s victory two months ago is a huge win for parents. Moreover, his nomination of Linda McMahon to lead the Education Department will benefit millions of students and families. Under her leadership, parents will be freed from educational handcuffs and empowered to get their children out of failing programs and districts.
The current administration has missed the mark on education, turning a blind eye to learning losses in core subjects such as math, reading, and history. It put union support and radical pedagogy before student success and school choice. Perhaps it thought parents like us wouldn’t notice or care, but we did.
Parents made their voices heard in this election, and their call for educational freedom was loud and clear. Under McMahon’s leadership, the Education Department will redirect federal dollars from ineffective, politically charged programs to those that genuinely enhance educational choice. The administration will end the spending on ineffective, radical programming and provide families with more options, enabling them to afford great schools for their children.
As leaders in the field of education policy and as parents, we understand the importance of educational quality. Imagine your child, who might not be thriving in his current school environment, being able to transition to a school where he is celebrated for his potential. This isn’t just about school choice — it’s about giving your child a tailored educational experience that respects your family’s values and aspirations.
Trump has voiced support for federal school choice programs that would complement state school choice programs and provide options to millions of students. The Educational Choice for Children Act, a bill that would empower parents with much-needed educational funding, recently passed the House Committee on Ways and Means. In a recent announcement, Trump said McMahon will fight to expand choice and empower parents.
For too long, the Education Department has put tax dollars toward unnecessary, ineffective programming instead of empowering states that know what their communities and children need. An “America first” administration will put an end to this by repurposing federal funds to go to states and prioritizing optionality. Good education outcomes have always required strong, empowered states, and McMahon understands that.
This administration will strengthen schools and restore educational quality. It will improve accountability, protect First Amendment rights, remove politically biased content from educational institutions, rescind the National Education Association’s federal charter, and ensure that teachers advance core academic standards. Students will be immersed in quality, patriotic teachings, not progressive ideologies.
These guidelines will extend outside of the classroom. With “America first” leaders in charge, women’s sports will be protected and celebrated, and biological males will no longer be allowed to compete with girls at the K–12 level. Teachers will no longer be able to change your child’s name or gender in class without telling you.
Under the new Trump administration, our government will no longer financially reward schools for indoctrinating our children. Trump and McMahon will restore parental rights in education, remove critical race theory and diversity, equity, and inclusion requirements from school grants, and reduce the strings attached to federal K–12 funding to reduce federal bureaucratic control over local classrooms.
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Under leftist leadership, our students were on the verge of losing everything: morale, strength, and hope. Our children have been suffering for far too long, subjected to poor leaders and curricula that prevent them from succeeding. With McMahon leading the Education Department, mothers, including us, can breathe a sigh of relief. Our classrooms will be strong, successful, and, most importantly, hopeful.
These changes are not just about policy shifts; they’re about ensuring our students do not just survive the educational system but succeed in it. For too long, our academic outcomes have been in decline, with just 33% of fourth graders in our nation reading proficiently. This is not acceptable, and it will no longer be our reality. Trump and McMahon will secure America’s future as a smart and prosperous nation, grounded in its educational principles and prepared for a future of global leadership.
Laurie Todd-Smith, Ph.D., is the director of the America First Policy Institute’s Center for Education Opportunity. Alex Caro Campana is the director of the Center for 1776 and Center for Opportunity Now at the America First Policy Institute.