Degenfelder attends signing of order to dismantle federal Department of Education

Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction Megan Degenfelder was at the White House on Thursday for the signing of President Trump’s order to dismantle the federal Department of Education.

The executive order signed by President Donald Trump directs Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to “take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education.”

Trump said his administration will close the department beyond its “core necessities,” preserving its responsibilities for Title I funding for low-income schools, Pell grants and money for children with disabilities, according to reporting by the Associated Press.

Wyoming public schools received 13% of their funding from the federal government during the 2021-22 school year. Total federal funds expected for 2025-26 are roughly $351 million, according to information provided by the Wyoming Department of Education.

It is unclear whether there will be any cuts to the funding that the state receives.

Degenfelder attended the signing of the order in the East Room of the White House in Washington.

Wyoming Department of Education spokesperson Linda Finnerty said that the trip was official business and that Degenfelder received an invite to attend.

“I had the honor of representing Wyoming as President Trump signed an executive order to abolish the Department of Education. This is a huge win for students, parents, and teachers across the country,” Degenfelder said following the signing of the order on social media.

“This restructuring will make sure that funding reaches our classrooms, benefiting students and educators first, instead of being absorbed by bureaucratic layers in Washington, D.C. Education belongs in classrooms, not government offices,” she added in a statement to the Star-Tribune.

She added that Trump and McMahon reiterated that there will be no reduction in “core statutory functions, including special education programs, Title I funding for low income students or Pell grants.” Degenfelder said the move will allow for streamlined federal operations that will allow for a quicker and more effective allocation of resources.

“This move isn’t about shutting down education, it is about relocating it — back to the states and to the people who educate our kids. Empowering local leaders is the Wyoming way,” Degenfelder said.

Wyoming Sens. John Barrasso and Cynthia Lummis, both R-WY, praised the move on social media following the signing of the bill.

“President Trump is improving America’s education system. The true strength of our education system lies with the states and our local communities,” Barrasso said on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Today’s executive order sidelines the Washington bureaucracy and puts Wyoming parents in the driver’s seat when it comes to their child’s education.”

Lummis reiterated that education decisions should lie in local hands.

“What works in a classroom in New York City may not work in a classroom in Big Piney, WY,” she said. “I’m glad the Trump administration is working to let Wyoming have more control over how we spend our federal education dollars.”

This story was published on March 24, 2025.