Linda McMahon, in her first act as Secretary of Education, is informing employees that she will oversee a “momentous final mission” to shift education oversight back to the states, according to a letter obtained by Fox News.
In the letter, sent Monday evening, McMahon emphasized a “new era of accountability” as she works to fulfill President Trump’s goal of dissolving the Department of Education. She described the mission as a necessary step to reduce bureaucracy and restore decision-making power to local communities. The restructuring, she warned, will significantly impact staffing, budgets, and operations.
McMahon laid out three guiding principles: parents should be the primary decision-makers in their children’s education, public education should prioritize core subjects over diversity and gender-related programs, and post-secondary education should focus on preparing students for well-paying careers. She stressed that reducing federal oversight would give parents and teachers greater control, allowing educators to focus on essential learning without bureaucratic interference.
Trump has said he wants the department shut down “immediately” and has tasked McMahon with carrying out that plan, effectively eliminating her own job. She affirmed her commitment to this mission, stating that the department’s role now is to facilitate a smooth transition of education oversight back to the states.
She empathized that the department had failed in its purpose since its creation in 1980 despite more than $1 trillion in taxpayer funding.
Encouraging employees to join the effort, McMahon called this transition a final act of public service that would leave American education stronger, freer, and better positioned for the future.
