Education may become a talking point in this election as former teacher Gov. Tim Walz rounding out the Democratic ticket.
Donald Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, outlined his education policy plans in Agenda 47. Apart from the often-mentioned Project 2025, Agenda 47 addresses Trump’s official agenda on issues such as immigration, health care, and crime. Agenda 47 on education suggests ten ideas for “great schools leading to great jobs” that range from curriculum requirements to preferential funding for schools offering internship programs.
According to Jon Valant, the director of Brooking Institution’s Brown Center on Education Policy, this election is crucial for educators. Teachers have had a difficult few years due to the pandemic and the culture wars, and he says that Trump’s proposals are unlikely to address the root cause of those issues.
Valant stated in an interview, “All of these are politics more than policy.” “My worry is distraction, these types of proposals… they’re averting people’s eyes from what we should actually be talking about.”
The largest teachers’ union in the US, the National Education Association, has endorsed Vice President Harris Kamala Harris and Walz. Becky Pringle, the NEA president, stated that Trump’s agenda is rooted in his time in office, appointing Besty DeVos as Education Secretary through his tenure in government. To address the teacher shortage, Pringle expressed her hope for an administration that will assist teachers get more resources and respect.
“When I started teaching many years ago…I didn’t really have a clue every decision that was made about my kids, my classroom, my colleagues, was made by someone who was elected or appointed to some position of power,” Pringle said, explaining that they want more educators in public office. “We will have an educator in the White House.”
Some of Trump’s education policies that impact school systems and teachers include:
Give priority to schools that abolish teacher tenure.
The former president, Trump, will implement funding preferences and favorable treatment for states and school districts that eliminate teacher tenure for grades K-12, adopt Merit Pay to reward good teachers and grant parents the right to vote for principals who direct their children’s education.
Universal school choice
Former President Trump supports universal schools, enabling parents to send their children to schools that best suit their goals, needs, and values. Trump recommends states that are leading the American school choice evolution, such as Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Iowa, Ohio, Oklahoma, Utah, and West Virginia, and looks forward to working with other states and the US Congress to provide American families with universal school choice.
To certify patriotic teachers through a credentialing body.
Trump will bring back the 1776 Commission, which he created but which President Joe Biden disbanded, to ensure America’s children learn the truth about American history and timeless principles of liberty and equality. Former President Trump will also create a credentialing organization to certify teachers who embrace patriotic values and support the American way of life.
Pringle added that this body would be politically motivated and might consist of appointees who lack the necessary qualifications.
“They don’t know what our kids need, they haven’t trained to be able to teach the diverse learning needs and the skills and meet kids where they are, let alone the preparation of educators,” Pringle said. “So we know that anything he does has a political nature to it.”
