The U.S.

Department of Education
Why it should be abolished

Presented by Larry Smart

Historical Background
Education system existed for

over 200 years before the Department of Education.

Created by Congress in 1979.
Went into operation in 1980.

Was created as a payoff to the National Education

Association.
Has no power to impose anything on the state

schools may only advise, recommend, inspire, study, and offer additional/supplemental funding.

Historical Background (cont)

Was not a popular idea at its inception.
Congress was worried that it would circumvent and

overrule local school districts and Parent-Teacher Organizations.

Many Congressmen feared that the head of the

organization would become a National Education Minister.

Many in Congress stated that it had no

Constitutional Authority to exist.

~Source: CATO Handbook for the 105th U.S. Congress

The Mission
Establishing policies on federal financial aid for education, and distributing as well as monitoring those funds. Collecting data on America's schools and disseminating research. Focusing national attention on key educational issues. Prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education.

~Source: Department of Education website. http://www2.ed.gov

The Cost
Initial annual budget of

$14,500,000,000
By 2002 annual budget had

expanded to $47,600,000,000
By 2009, budget expanded to

$160,600,000,000
Total cost of the Department of

Education to date: Approximately $2,400,000,000,000 ~Source: Federal Reserve Archive for Economic Research

The Legality
The U.S. Constitution forbids the U.S.

Government from doing things that are not expressly permitted within the Constitution.
No authorization is made for allowing the

government to control or meddle in education.

The 10th Amendment states that

individual states may exercise powers if they are not explicitly forbidden for the ~Source: U.S. Constitution Art I Federal Government. U.S. Bill of Rights

Is it Justifiable?
Is it worth
The Expense The Expansion of Government/Police State The Loss of Liberty in Parents Rights to Govern

Schools
Measuring Success
Test Scores Tuition Costs (Adjusted for Inflation) Worldwide Ranking:

The Track Record

Tuition

~Source: Digest of Education Statistics

The Track Record (cont)

Problems
The Department of Education has a 32 year track

record of:
Trillions of dollars wasted. Massive increases in tuition costs. Unconstitutional meddling in the affairs of local

school boards and state education departments. Payoffs favoring certain teachers unions over others. No measurable improvement in educational quality, reflected by test scores and world standings.
Complete and utter failure in performing its stated

mission.

Conclusion
The DoED has failed to provide

any benefit whatsoever.

The DoED is a bureaucratic mess

which only exists to feed and expand itself.

The DoED is hurting education in

all 50 states and Washington DC.

The DoED cannot be fixed.