McMahon Calls Education Department Changes a Proof of Concept on Minnesota Tour

Education Secretary Linda McMahon defended the Trump administration’s effort to shrink the Department of Education during a Minnesota stop on her “Returning Education to the States” tour, which included visits to community colleges and a charter school. The administration has laid off nearly half the department’s workforce and shifted more than 100 programs and responsibilities to other federal agencies; McMahon said consolidating work can reduce duplication and called the changes a “proof of concept.” Critics argue education is already primarily managed by states and that federal funding and support could be weakened. NPR’s reporting also found that staffing reductions and program transfers have made the department more complex and less efficient, while McMahon maintained that federal funding would continue.