---
title: HR 1789. United States Department of Education; dissolve and restore educational authority to the states; express support
collection: bills
id: 2025-2026/hr1789
cite_as: HR 1789, 2025-2026 Regular Session (Ga.)
canonical_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1789
md_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1789.md
text_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1789/text
source_url: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74260
date: 2026-03-25
status: introduced
corpus_version: bills-2026-09-13
license: Public record of the Georgia General Assembly, via LegiScan; see about.md
publisher: Georgia Commons, an independent project of Georgia Civic Data. Not the State of Georgia. Not legal advice.
up: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026.md
previous: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1788.md
next: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1790.md
index: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/index.md
omitted: votes and history
omitted_chars: 185
omitted_url: https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1789.md?full=1
bill_number: HR 1789
session: 2025-2026 Regular Session
session_slug: 2025-2026
chamber: House
bill_type: resolution
status_date: 2026-03-19
last_action: House Committee Favorably Reported
sponsors:
  - Will Wade
  - Trey Kelley
  - Martin Momtahan
  - Rob Clifton
  - Reynaldo Martinez
text_version: Introduced
has_text: true
legiscan_url: https://legiscan.com/GA/bill/HR1789/2025
upstream_id: 2136391
summaries_model: claude-sonnet-5
topic_tags:
  - U.S. Department of Education
  - education policy
  - states' rights
  - special education funding
  - federalism
---

# HR 1789. United States Department of Education; dissolve and restore educational authority to the states; express support

## Text

House Resolution 1789
By: Representatives Wade of the 9th, Kelley of the 16th, Momtahan of the 17th, Clifton of the
131st, and Martinez of the 111th
A RESOLUTION
Expressing support for dissolving the United States Department of Education and restoring
educational authority to the states; and for other purposes.
WHEREAS, the United States Constitution establishes a federal system that reserves those
powers not delegated to the federal government to the states and the people; and
WHEREAS, education is not a power delegated to the federal government and has
historically been governed by states and local communities accountable to families; and
WHEREAS, the creation of the United States Department of Education expanded federal
involvement in education significantly, while academic achievement stagnated or declined;
and
WHEREAS, national assessments and polling show troubling trends in student reading and
math performance, as well as a lack of basic civic knowledge; and
WHEREAS, decades of increased federal spending and regulation have not improved
outcomes for students, but have imposed burdens on states and their schools; and
WHEREAS, federal control has created administrative bloat and bureaucracy that diverts
resources away from classrooms and students; and
WHEREAS, states are the drivers of innovation in education, leading effective education
reforms that expand choice and improve outcomes; and
WHEREAS, governors, state legislators, and local officials are directly accountable to
parents and taxpayers for their decisions regarding education, providing clearer responsibility
and responsiveness than unelected federal bureaucrats; and
WHEREAS, prioritizing the needs of students and families requires placing decision-making
authority with those closest to the classroom; and
WHEREAS, Secretary McMahon has initiated significant organizational restructuring by
reducing the United States Department of Education's workforce without adversely affecting
educational services; and
WHEREAS, the federal government is taking steps to transfer education programs that are
currently run by the United Sates Department of Education to other federal agencies that
already manage related services, such as the transfer of certain grant programs to the United
States Department of Labor, special education and student welfare programs to the United
States Department of Health and Human Services, and federal student loans to the federal
Small Business Administration; and
WHEREAS, approximately $15 billion in federal funding for the Individuals with
Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is provided to states annually to help cover special
education costs; and
WHEREAS, the federal government intends to maintain or increase the funding stream for
students with disabilities, while moving the oversight for programs serving such students to
another federal agency; and
WHEREAS, the dismantling of the United States Department of Education will not directly
eliminate school meal funding because school nutrition programs are already primarily
operated through the United States Department of Agriculture, including the National School
Lunch Program, the Healthy, Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010, and the Whole Milk for Health
Kids Act of 2025; and
WHEREAS, the federal government is pursuing interagency agreements to move
responsibilities out of the United States Department of Education so that services currently
provided by the department are not eliminated.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES that
the members of this body affirm its responsibility to lead on education in a manner consistent
with the United States Constitution and the principles of federalism; support efforts to
dismantle the United States Department of Education, returning authority over education
back to the states; encourage the reorganization of federal education programs into different
agencies, with no reduction in funding for such programs; and encourage shifting core
responsibilities of the United States Department of Education to other agencies, in both state
and federal governments, that are better suited to execute them.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the members of this body express their resolve to seek
every opportunity, in cooperation with other federal agencies, to regain control of
kindergarten through grade 12 schools in this state.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Clerk of the House of Representatives is authorized
and directed to make appropriate copies of this resolution available for distribution to the
Governor of Georgia, the Lieutenant Governor, the Speaker of the House of Representatives,
and the chairpersons of the appropriate House and Senate committees for consideration
during the 2026 legislative session.

## Summaries written by Georgia Commons

The following was written by claude-sonnet-5 from the text above and is not part of the resolution. Quote the text, not the summary.

A Georgia House resolution would formally declare the chamber's support for dissolving the U.S. Department of Education and shifting control over K-12 and other education programs back to the states.

### Plain-language summary

This resolution does not change any Georgia law by itself. Instead, it states the Georgia House of Representatives' position that education should be controlled by states rather than the federal government, and that the U.S. Department of Education should be dismantled. It lists reasons for that position, including concerns about student test scores, federal spending, and administrative bureaucracy, and notes ongoing federal efforts to move programs like special education oversight and student loans to other federal agencies.
The resolution says Georgia House members support reorganizing federal education programs into other agencies without cutting funding, and that they will look for ways to regain state control over kindergarten through 12th grade schools. It directs the Clerk of the House to send copies to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and relevant committee chairs for consideration during the 2026 session.

### What it does

- Declares the Georgia House's support for dissolving the U.S. Department of Education and returning education authority to the states.
- Encourages reorganizing federal education programs, such as special education and student loan programs, into other federal agencies without reducing their funding.
- States the House's intent to seek opportunities to regain state control over Georgia's kindergarten through grade 12 schools.
- Directs the Clerk of the House to send copies of the resolution to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and relevant committee chairs for the 2026 session.
- Does not itself amend any Georgia statute or change how any Georgia school, program, or agency currently operates.

### Who it affects

Georgia's K-12 public schools, state education officials, and families with children in public schools are referenced throughout, since the resolution concerns who controls education policy. It also names the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and legislative committees as recipients of the resolution.

### Why it matters

Because this is a resolution rather than a law, it does not immediately change funding, programs, or oversight for Georgia schools. Its practical effect is to put the Georgia House on record favoring a shift of federal education authority, including special education and student loan programs, to other agencies or the states.

### Key provisions

- The whereas clauses lay out the House's reasoning, including claims about stagnant test scores, federal bureaucracy, and planned transfers of federal education programs to agencies like the Department of Labor and Health and Human Services.
- The first resolving clause affirms the House's role in leading on education and supports dismantling the U.S. Department of Education.
- The same clause encourages reorganizing federal education programs into other agencies with no funding cuts and shifting core department responsibilities elsewhere.
- A further resolving clause expresses the House's resolve to seek ways to regain control over Georgia's K-12 schools.
- A final clause directs the Clerk of the House to distribute copies to the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, and relevant committee chairs for the 2026 session.

## Status

- Status: Introduced (2026-03-19)
- Last action: House Committee Favorably Reported (2026-03-25)
- Sponsors: Will Wade, Trey Kelley, Martin Momtahan, Rob Clifton, Reynaldo Martinez
- Official page: https://www.legis.ga.gov/legislation/74260

> The history, votes, and amendments (185 characters) are at https://georgiacommons.org/bills/2025-2026/hr1789.md?full=1
