Here’s a shocking reality: American students continue falling behind in core subjects like math and reading. Parents across the nation are forced to watch as their children struggle with basic skills while school districts pour resources into controversial ideological programs.

The latest National Assessment of Educational Progress scores paint a troubling picture. Indeed, reading levels for both fourth and eighth-grade students remain in steady decline. Math scores also show no signs of recovery from pandemic-era losses.

Meanwhile, federal education spending has reached record levels, with American taxpayers spending more per student than almost any other developed nation. Sound like a good use of your tax dollars?

So what’s being done about it? In a sweeping move announced Monday, the Department of Education is taking bold action to redirect hundreds of millions of dollars away from ideological training programs and back toward fundamental education.

Getting Back to Basics

The Department revealed the termination of over $600 million in grants previously used for teacher training programs focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, critical race theory, and what officials termed “social justice activism.”

“As The Nation’s Report Card (NAEP) recently indicated, America’s students are falling dangerously behind in math and reading,” said Savannah Newhouse, a Department of Education spokesperson. “Teacher prep programs should be prioritizing training that prepares youth with the fundamentals they need to succeed for the future, not wasting valuable training resources on divisive ideologies.”

The cuts target programs that required teachers to acknowledge “systemic forms of oppression” and participate in workshops on “Dismantling Racial Bias” instead of focusing on improving student achievement in core academic subjects.

The scope of ideological spending reaches far beyond direct training programs. The Department also canceled ten Regional Educational Laboratory contracts totaling an additional $336 million after discovering that they promoted controversial equity initiatives rather than evidence-based educational improvements.

These cuts represent a dramatic shift in federal education policy. Under the Joe Biden administration, millions in taxpayer dollars funded programs focused on “LGBTQ inclusion” and “anti-racism” training while American students fell further behind their international peers.

The stark reality is that the United States ranks 40th globally in education quality despite spending more per pupil than any other nation in the world. (Yes, you read that correctly.)

America First Education

As we move into 2025, President Donald Trump has made dismantling ideological programs within federal agencies a cornerstone of his education policy. Since taking office in January, his administration has removed hundreds of DEI-related documents from the Department’s website and dissolved several related administrative teams.

“Look at the Department of Education. It’s a big con job,” Trump stated recently. “We spend more per pupil than any other country in the world, but we’re ranked No. 40.”

The Trump administration’s message is clear. American education must return to focusing on academic excellence rather than ideological programming.

The redirection of nearly $1 billion from social justice initiatives toward core educational priorities represents one of the most significant shifts in federal education policy in decades. For parents concerned about their children’s academic future, this signals a return to fundamentals-first education.

As test scores continue showing troubling declines, these cuts demonstrate a commitment to addressing the real crisis in American education. That crisis is the need for stronger academic foundations rather than ideological training.

The message to educators and administrators across the country is unmistakable. Federal resources will now prioritize teaching children how to read, write, and solve math problems rather than funding controversially woke social theories.

Parents interested in tracking these changes can follow updates through the Department of Education’s website as more reforms are expected in the coming months.

Key Takeaways:

• The Department of Education has eliminated over $900 million in DEI and social justice programs amid declining student performance.
• America ranks 40th globally in education despite spending more per student than any other nation.
• Trump administration’s reform shifts focus from ideological training back to core academic fundamentals.
• Parents can expect more emphasis on traditional education metrics as additional reforms roll out.

Sources: The Daily Caller, Fox News