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Trump pushes school choice expansion after ‘heartbreaking’ report on student performance

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States.
U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during inauguration ceremonies in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington, D.C. Donald Trump takes office for his second term as the 47th president of the United States. | Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Following the publication of the latest National Assessment of Educational Progress results showing American students falling behind in reading and stagnating in math, President Donald Trump has directed the U.S. Department of Education and several other federal agencies to look for ways to expand school choice for families to improve student performance.

In an ambitious executive order labeled "Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families," Trump cited the results, which the U.S. Department of Education has decried as "heartbreaking," as an impetus for the action.

More than half of fourth graders tested nationwide in the report were found deficient in reading at a proficient level for their grade, and the share of students considered proficient was found to be 2 percentage points lower than two years earlier.

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"Parents want and deserve the best education for their children.  But too many children do not thrive in their assigned, government-run K-12 school.  According to this year's National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), 70 percent of 8th graders were below proficient in reading, and 72 percent were below proficient in math," the executive order noted.

"Moreover, geographically based school assignments exacerbate the cost of housing in districts with preferred schools, straining the finances of millions of American families sacrificing for their children's futures."

Trump highlighted a growing body of research showing how well-designed school choice programs currently being pursued in several states improve student achievement and push nearby schools to improve their performance.

Research from the America First Policy Institute shows that as of August 2024, 34 states offer a collection of 75 school choice programs, including 18 that offer Educational Savings Accounts.

These accounts are publicly funded government-authorized savings accounts established for parents of K-12 students to use for multiple educational purposes, according to Ed Choice.

These funds can be applied to school tuition, tutoring, instructional materials, or therapies for students with special needs. Researchers noted that in just three years, the number of states that offer universal school choice increased from 0 to 12, while 22 others passed school choice expansion bills. In 2024, Alabama, Louisiana, Wyoming, Missouri, Georgia and Nebraska all passed school choice expansion bills.

In Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families, Trump ordered the secretary of education to issue guidance on how states can use federal formula funds to support K-12 school choice initiatives in 60 days. The secretary was also ordered to prioritize school choice in discretionary grant programs.

Trump directed the secretaries of labor and education to review their respective discretionary grant programs and make recommendations to President Trump within 90 days of the order on how these programs can expand school choice for families and teachers.

The president told the Department of Health and Human Services secretary to issue guidance on how states receiving block grants from the department "can use them to expand educational choice and support families who choose educational alternatives to governmental entities, including private and faith-based options."

Under a similar timeframe, Trump urged the secretary of defense to examine how military-connected families could use Department of Defense funds to attend schools of their choice, including private, faith-based or public charter schools.  Any findings in this area will be implemented in the 2025-26 school year.

In a bid to help children eligible to attend Bureau of Indian Education schools, President Trump asked the secretary of the interior to evaluate how their families can use federal funds for school choice within 90 days. The findings are expected to inform a plan to be submitted to President Trump for implementation in the 2025-2026 school year.

On Wednesday, the U.S. Department of Education said the NAEP results decried the NAEP results as a "heartbreaking reality," considering the billions of dollars of federal funds invested in education annually.

"Today's NAEP results reveal a heartbreaking reality for American students and confirm our worst fears: not only did most students not recover from pandemic-related learning loss, but those students who were the most behind and needed the most support have fallen even further behind," the agency said in a statement.

"Despite the billions of dollars that the federal government invests in K-12 education annually, and the approximately $190 billion in federal pandemic funds, our education system continues to fail students across the nation. 

"We must do better for our students. The Trump Administration is committed to reorienting our education system to fully empower states, to prioritize meaningful learning, and provide universal access to high-quality instruction. Change must happen, and it must happen now." 

Contact: leonardo.blair@christianpost.com Follow Leonardo Blair on Twitter: @leoblair Follow Leonardo Blair on Facebook: LeoBlairChristianPost

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