Either abolish it or seriously revamp it.

There is nothing in the constitution about the federal government controlling education. Give it back to the states.

The Dept of Education is a waste of money and to tied into the Teacher’s Unions. As a former educator, this organization was full of high paying employees who were too tied into politics!

There is good and bad to federal government control over local schools. As a teacher for 45 years, I was thankful for federal grants that provided for disabled and special needs children, after school programs, etc. Some states do not have the financial resources to provide beyond the basics.

Federal law stipulates that every September 17th, public schools take time to read and study the Constitution, but 90% of public schools do not do it. So, the federal law is not even being monitored. Education should be governed by the states. Public education should include a study of the U.S. Constitution, the Declaration of Independence, American history and civics. Bring back the educational fabric of this country that made us all "proud to be Americans."

I strongly believe that federal standards are needed to state the requirements for students to pass to the next highest grade. This prevents students who move from one state to another from being ahead in some subjects and behind in others. However, this doesn't require an entire Department of Education. Congress could pass a law with the requirements for each grade level. Otherwise, the Department of Education is unnecessary and actually detrimental.

I really do not know enough to understand what may be lost by totally eliminating (such as Federal Grants poorer schools may receive). Although I like states running education I do think we need some Federal Standards of education. So maybe better to revamp and keep the good aspects of the Department...just a thought

The federal Dept of Ed is a waste of monies for the country. Billions of dollars could be put back into our country to help people in need. Let the states run their education system and then they can allow each county within their state to run their schools on a local -skills-based method. Curriculum should be developed for all students’ desires for after graduation. Skilled trades and college both emphasized equally.

As a school teacher for 30 years, I think the Department of Education is unnecessary. Laws could be passed that would cover basic standards for education. It was my experience that schools would be offered grants, etc. funded by the government just to have those funds taken away but still requiring the school to carry on the program that the grant funded thus adding additional costs to the school budget.

Where as I do feel that the Department of Education needs to be abolished, I also would also like to see oversight and accountability. Each individual States educational system and their results i.e., literacy an ability to read write effectively and basic mathematical skills, as States must be held accountable for their students. Teaching to a test is not the answer. We need to bring back Civics as a required subject in order to graduate, and let's bring back Problems of Democracy classes as well. I remember hating POD classes but learned a lot, with a good teacher. I went on to homeschool my own children and Civics was a staple in their learning.

Federal minimum standards protect students in liberal states like California. However, the DOE does need to be cleaned up of political agendas. It should focus on getting back to basics and require the basic right of Reading, writing and math for ALL students.

Abolish? No! Rethink its purpose? Absolutely! Research without bias the programs that are successful in the "laboratories" that are the states; educate local school boards of what works for what populations; let the people in the states decide what is best for their children's basic education. Get out of the socio/emotional business.

I believe the Dept of Education should be abolished and educattion should be at a county level. I think ithe goal is to teach our children reading, writing, mathematics, science, and even languages. The education process has been sexualized and politized by the federal government and the state government. We used to be tops in education before the federal government and the teachers unions and state governments took over education. Teachers unions and government has not looked out for our childrens best interest. Teacher unions look out for the teachers and the federal govt looks out for their own interest . We need to get back to basics and then get rid of the Dept of Education.

Scale IT down!! Don't eliminate it completely. "Education NOT Litigation!" It should be there for federal protections to students and parents to ensure ALL students can access learning to read, write and do math. No federal funds may be used to pay attorneys, especially in special education, to fight or sue parents to avoid giving them a free appropriate public education! The money follows the students!

The idea for the creation of the Department of Education was to improve student's test scores and to adopt a Scope and Sequence for each grade level to be adopted by all states so that students moving from one state to another could expect the same level of education for each grade. In truth, it has been a complete failure! Students' test scores have declined, overall, at public institutions. Furthermore, many states refused to adopt the DOE Scope and Sequence for their own autonomy, and rightly so. Worse yet, the Department has transgressed into forcing particular curricula and a progressive belief system on students and teachers while holding the states hostage to Federal dollars. I believe that education should be a local issue with the direct involvement of parents in their school system. That worked prior to the creation of the DOE and with a better result. The DOE should be eliminated. It is a waste of money.