WASHINGTON (TNND) — President Donald Trump's administration is reportedly preparing to dismantle the Department of Education, fulfilling a key campaign pledge. According to The Wall Street Journal, an executive order is being crafted to initiate the process. Then-candidate Trump has long advocated for this move, speaking about it frequently on the campaign trail.

"One other thing I'll be doing very early in the administration is closing up the Department of Education in Washington D.C. and sending all education and education work and needs back to the States. We want them to run the education of our children because they'll do a much better job of it. You can't do worse," Trump said during a 2023 campaign video.

The Department of Education, established in 1979, has become a target of Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. More than 60 employees have already been placed on paid administrative leave.

VOTE | Should Trump sign an executive order to eliminate the Department of Education?

Republicans have long sought to reduce Washington's influence over education, often criticizing what they perceive as indoctrination on topics like gender and race.

"What it ends up doing is putting enormous bureaucratic strings on teachers, on schools, on education. It puts Washington in charge of what’s taught to our kids. I think education oughta be a state matter, or even better a local matter," Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, told ABC News. "I think President Trump is responding to the will of the voters in seeking to shut it down and to bring the power back to the states and back to the people."

The proposed order will reportedly focus on parts of the department not protected by federal law. The department oversees billions of dollars in funding for low-income education, services for students with disabilities, and enforcement of civil rights laws. To fully abolish the department, Congress would need to pass a bill, and one has already been filed.

Teachers unions are opposing the move.

"The move is not legal in that even they recognize that there are lots of things about the Department of Education in statute. Let me just talk about the most important things: the money that goes out for kids with disabilities, the money that goes out for kids who are low income," said Randi Weingarten, President of the American Federation of Teachers.

President Trump has already signed separate orders related to education, targeting diversity programs, expanding school choice, and combating antisemitism. Meanwhile, Linda McMahon, Trump's nominee to lead the department, has yet to have her confirmation hearing scheduled.