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On Monday, at Duke University, just before an event titled “Abolishing the Department of Education,” I sat down with Erika Donalds — Chair of Education Opportunity at the America First Policy Institute [ [link removed] ], former school board member, and wife of Florida Congressman (and now gubernatorial candidate) Byron Donalds.
The event, hosted by the Leadership Institute and Duke’s Young America’s Foundation chapter, drew students and community leaders eager to hear more about President Trump’s proposed education reform.
What’s Wrong With Education? Start With Civics
Our conversation opened with a basic question: Can we bring back civics education without turning it into political warfare?
Erika didn’t hesitate. She agreed that weak civics instruction has allowed political extremism to thrive.
Take the alarming rise of Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani in New York City. It’s a symptom, she said, of students growing up without understanding the Constitution, American history, or the role of government.
Her answer? Elevate civics. Make it daily. Make it core. Right now, many states don’t introduce civics until the fifth grade. In some districts, it’s alternated with science or quietly dropped.
“That’s unacceptable,” Erika said. “We need to treat civics like reading or math, offering it in K-12.”
She’s co-chairing a national Civics Education Coalition to push for daily instruction, better teacher prep, and access to quality curriculum — including a new repository of vetted materials aligned with state standards.
The goal is simple: help students understand America and equip parents with tools to hold schools accountable.
Why Abolish the U.S. Department of Education?
For Erika, the case against the federal Department of Education is clear. It’s not just about limiting government. It’s about restoring responsibility.
“Right now,” she said, “every time something goes wrong in a school, state officials point to Washington. They say, ‘We have to do this or we’ll lose funding.’ That’s not accountability.”
When the Department of Education sets the rules and holds the money, no one at the state level takes the blame. Parents get frustrated. Nothing changes.
Erika’s solution? Shut it down. Return power to the states. Make governors, legislatures, and local leaders fully responsible for education outcomes. And let parents hold them accountable — not distant bureaucrats in D.C.
She pointed to Florida, where the governor appoints the state superintendent. “That’s how it should work,” she said. “It’s clean. It’s direct. There’s no guessing who’s in charge.”
Block Grants: Keep the Money, Cut the Strings
What happens to funding if the federal Department disappears? That’s the most common question Erika hears — and she has an answer ready.
“It stays,” she said.
According to a January 2025 White House fact sheet [ [link removed] ], President Trump’s executive order lays out a roadmap for turning federal education aid into block grants. Title I and IDEA funds — which support low-income students and students with disabilities — would still flow to states.
But states would decide how to use those funds. The money could follow the student, not stay locked in a single district.
Block grants mean flexibility. That’s crucial in rural areas like much of North Carolina, where 91 out of 100 counties are low-income and rely heavily on federal aid.
The Trump plan doesn’t cut funding. It removes red tape. It also allows for innovation — like expanding school choice and creating new scholarship programs.
That’s especially important in states with public school monopolies and few alternatives for struggling families.
School Choice Means Real Accountability
Erika argues that school choice is the ultimate driver of improvement, for public and private schools.
“When parents have options, schools compete,” she said. “And when they compete, they improve.”
Erika said is working in Florida, where nearly one million students attend charter or scholarship-based private schools. In those areas, public schools are stepping up by hiring better principals, adding new programs, and working harder to retain teachers.
She also pointed out something often overlooked: school choice helps teachers, too. In many rural communities, teachers have only one employer. More options mean more leverage and better working conditions.
And it helps families. Erika knows this firsthand. Her three sons each followed a different educational path — because each had different needs.
“One size doesn’t fit all,” she said. “And when families have a real choice, they find what works. That changes everything.”
Parental Rights Are the Core Issue
When asked how candidates can fight back against the narrative that Republicans want to “defund education,” Erika was clear.
“Focus on parents,” she said. “Parents want the best for their kids. They have a constitutional right to direct their upbringing — including their education.”
That argument works. It helped flip elections in Virginia. It resonates across party lines. And it puts the focus where it belongs: on children, not bureaucracies.
Erika emphasized that this isn’t about fighting teachers. It’s about partnership. When parents choose programs, they’re more invested. And when teachers work with families who are all-in on a particular model, everyone wins.
The Vision Ahead
Erika Donalds believes the time is now.
Abolishing the Department of Education wouldn’t end federal support. It would end top-down mandates and give states the room to lead. It would shift power from bureaucrats to parents. And it would force every part of the system — public, private, and charter — to raise its game.
It’s not just about philosophy. It’s about real results. Better civics. More choices. Smarter funding. Stronger schools.
“We want a system,” she said, “that’s driven by quality, not control.”
If that happens, the golden age of American education might not be a dream. It could be the next chapter.

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