Rep. Baird Statement on President Trump’s Executive Order to Return Educational Power to Parents, States, and Communities

Today, Congressman Jim Baird (IN-04) released the following statement regarding President Trump’s Executive Order to return control over children’s education to parents, states, and local communities where it belongs. This Executive Order directs the Secretary of Education to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return education authority to the states while ensuring services, programs, and benefits on which Americans rely continue uninterrupted. “President Trump has made it clear: we are putting parents back in the driver’s seat of their children’s education, not unelected bureaucrats in Washington, D.C. Since the Department of Education was created in 1979 under President Carter, educational outcomes have not improved. Math and reading scores for 13-year-olds are at the lowest levels in decades, while average per-pupil spending has increased. Our children deserve better. “Indiana has been a leader in school choice for years, ensuring every Hoosier family has the freedom to choose the educational option that best fits their children’s needs. This Executive Order is a monumental step in making school choice a reality for every family, improving educational outcomes for our students, empowering parents, and making American education great again.” ###