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

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.