The Trump Administration unleashed an agenda that provides school choice for parents, better prepares students to compete in a global economy, modernized an antiquated Federal student aid system, and holds higher education institutions more accountable to students and taxpayers alike.
President Trump made permanent a commitment of $255 million in annual funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities, and he increased funding for the Federal Pell Grant program by signing the FUTURE Act. In 2020, President Trump created the 1776 Commission, ensuring that every American child learns that they live in the greatest, most exceptional Nation in the history of the world.
Administration Achievements
EXPANDING EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY
Fought tirelessly to give every American access to the best possible education
- The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act expanded School Choice, allowing parents to use up to $10,000 from a 529 education savings account to cover K-12 tuition costs at the public, private, or religious school of their choice
- Launched a new pro-American lesson plan for students called the 1776 Commission to promote patriotic education
- Prohibited the teaching of Critical Race Theory in the Federal Government
- Established the National Garden of American Heroes, a vast outdoor park that will feature the statues of the greatest Americans ever to live
- Called on Congress to pass the Education Freedom Scholarships and Opportunity Act to expand education options for 1 million students of all economic backgrounds
- Signed legislation reauthorizing the D.C. Opportunity Scholarship program
- Issued updated guidance making clear that the First Amendment right to Free Exercise of Religion does not end at the door to a public school
Took action to promote technical education
- Signed into law the Strengthening Career and Technical Education for the 21st Century Act, which provides over 13 million students with high-quality vocational education and extends more than $1.3 billion each year to states for critical workforce development programs
- Signed the INSPIRE Act which encouraged NASA to have more women and girls participate in STEM and seek careers in aerospace
- Allocated no less than $200 million each year in grants to prioritize women and minorities in STEM and computer science education
Drastically reformed and modernized our educational system to restore local control and promote fairness
- Restored state and local control of education by faithfully implementing the Every Student Succeeds Act
- Signed an executive order that ensures public universities protect First Amendment rights or risk losing funding, addresses student debt by requiring colleges to share a portion of the financial risk, and increases transparency by requiring universities to disclose information about the value of potential educational programs
- Issued a rule strengthening Title IX protections for survivors of sexual misconduct in schools, and that—for the first time in history—codifies that sexual harassment is prohibited under Title IX
- Negotiated historic bipartisan agreement on new higher education rules to increase innovation and lower costs by reforming accreditation, state authorization, distance education, competency-based education, credit hour, religious liberty, and TEACH Grants
Prioritized support for Historically Black Colleges and Universities
- Moved the Federal Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Initiative back to the White House
- Signed into law the FUTURE Act, making permanent $255 million in annual funding for HBCUs and increasing funding for the Federal Pell Grant program
- Signed legislation that included more than $100 million for scholarships, research, and centers of excellence at HBCU land-grant institutions
- Fully forgave $322 million in disaster loans to four HBCUs in 2018, so they could fully focus on educating their students
- Enabled faith-based HBCUs to enjoy equal access to Federal support
