President Trump’s choice to lead the Education Department on Thursday said she backs a plan to “return education to the states” without cutting current federal funding levels for schools.

Linda McMahon, the former professional wrestling executive who headed the Small Business Administration during Mr. Trump’s first term, told a Senate panel weighing her nomination that if confirmed she wouldn’t shut down the Education Department without congressional approval but plans to reorganize it.

Mr. Trump has pledged to shutter the department, telling reporters this week he’d like to do so “immediately.” He pointed to low reading and math scores for U.S. students despite high per-pupil spending.

Ms. McMahon told lawmakers on the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee she would reshuffle the department, sending some functions to the states or to other government agencies in a bid to improve “a system in decline.”

Ms. McMahon said she’d advocate for school choice — a policy that lets parents use federal funding to attend nonpublic schools or federally funded but independently run charter schools.

“Fund education freedom, not government. Run systems. Listen to parents, not politicians. Build up careers, not college debt. Empower states, not special interests. Invest in teachers, not Washington bureaucrats,” Ms. McMahon said. “If confirmed as secretary, I will work with Congress to reorient the department toward helping educators, not controlling them.”

Protesters interrupted Ms. McMahon a few times, some chanting in opposition to defunding the department and against charter schools.

• Susan Ferrechio can be reached at sferrechio@washingtontimes.com.