If you’re wondering who’s actually calling the shots at the U.S. Department of Education right now, you aren't alone. It’s been a wild ride. Since March 2025, Linda McMahon—yes, the former WWE CEO—has been the one sitting at the big desk as the 13th U.S. Secretary of Education.
Honestly, the vibe in Washington has shifted completely. For decades, the department was about expanding federal reach. Now? The person in charge is literally trying to work herself out of a job. It’s a bit of a paradox, right? You take a Cabinet position just to hand the power back to the states and, eventually, turn out the lights.
The Person at the Top: Who is Linda McMahon?
Most people know her from the wrestling world or her time running the Small Business Administration (SBA). But in 2026, she’s the face of a massive pivot in how American kids get taught. She isn't your typical "career educator" with thirty years in a classroom, and she doesn't pretend to be.
McMahon was confirmed by the Senate on March 3, 2025, with a 51–45 vote. It was tight. Since then, she’s been on what she calls the "Returning Education to the States" tour. Basically, she’s spent the last year visiting schools in places like Georgia, Kentucky, and Rhode Island, telling local leaders that D.C. shouldn't be the one telling them how to run their districts.
What’s her actual background?
- Business Growth: She took WWE from a regional operation to a global powerhouse.
- Government Experience: Served as SBA Administrator from 2017 to 2019.
- Policy Work: Chaired the America First Policy Institute before taking this role.
- Education Roots: Believe it or not, she actually graduated with a degree in French and once wanted to be a teacher.
What Does "Being in Charge" Look Like Right Now?
It’s not just about signing papers. The department is currently undergoing a "breakup" of sorts. This isn't just talk; it's happening through something called Interagency Agreements (IAAs).
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McMahon has been offloading federal programs to other departments that she says are better equipped to handle them. For example, the Department of Labor is taking a bigger role in K-12 and postsecondary grants to align them with workforce needs. The Department of the Interior is taking over more of the Indian Education programs.
It’s a strategy to "de-bureaucratize" Washington. If you ask the administration, they'll tell you they're cutting red tape. If you ask the critics, they'll say they're dismantling the safety net for vulnerable students.
The Big 2026 Priorities
So, what is the department actually doing day-to-day? There are three big pillars that McMahon and her team—including Under Secretary Nicholas Kent—are pushing hard.
1. Universal School Choice
This is the "One Big Beautiful Bill" Act in action. It’s essentially the first federal private school voucher program. The goal is to let federal money follow the student. If a parent wants to take their kid out of a struggling public school and put them in a private or charter school, the administration wants to make that financially possible.
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2. The "History Rocks!" Initiative
You might have seen this in the news lately. As we approach America’s 250th birthday, McMahon has launched the History Rocks! Trail to Independence tour. It’s a push for civic literacy. She’s been visiting high schools to emphasize teaching "foundational" American history and merit-based achievement.
3. Student Loan Reform (The "Trump Accounts")
The old student loan forgiveness programs are being phased out or heavily restricted—especially for graduates working for organizations the administration deems have "illegal purposes." In their place, they’ve introduced "Trump accounts." Families can contribute up to $5,000 a year for their kids, and the government even throws in a $1,000 bonus for kids born between 2025 and 2028. It’s a total shift from "debt relief" to "early investment."
Why the Controversy?
Look, people are divided. There’s no way around it.
On one side, you have folks like Senator Bill Cassidy, who chairs the HELP committee. He argues that McMahon is a "strong leader" who is finally fixing a "broken system." They think the federal government has no business being a "national school board."
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On the other side, you have groups like the Economic Policy Institute and various civil rights organizations. They’re terrified. They argue that by cutting the department’s staff (which is down to about 2,000 employees now) and shifting funds to private schools, the government is abandoning its duty to ensure "equal access." They point to the freeze on higher education research funding at places like Columbia and Brown as evidence of "coercive" tactics.
Real Talk: Is the Department Actually Closing?
Probably not tomorrow. While President Trump issued an executive order in March 2025 to return education functions to the states, fully "closing" a Cabinet-level department requires an Act of Congress.
Even with a Republican majority, that’s a heavy lift. Instead, what we’re seeing is a hollowing out. By transferring duties to Labor or Interior and letting the states take the lead on testing and accountability, the department is becoming a "skeleton" of its former self.
The Financial Reality
- Title I Funding: The 2026 budget request actually keeps Title I funding (for low-income schools) at around $18.4 billion, which is level with previous years.
- Pell Grants: The maximum award is expected to be around $5,710 for the 2026-2027 year. This is a significant drop from previous peaks, which is a major point of contention for student advocates.
Practical Steps: What This Means for You
If you’re a parent, a student, or a teacher, the "person in charge" matters because the rules of the game are changing. Here’s what you should actually do:
- Check Your State’s "Choice" Status: Since the federal government is handing power back, your state’s governor has more influence than ever. See if your state has opted into the federal voucher program.
- Review Your Student Loan Status: If you were counting on Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF), check the new "substantial illegal purpose" guidelines. Some non-profit jobs that used to qualify might not anymore.
- Look into "Trump Accounts": If you have a young child or are expecting, the $1,000 government bonus for new accounts is a real thing. It’s worth looking at the tax implications of these IRAs.
- Follow State Legislation: Watch for Return on Investment (ROI) analyses in higher education. More states are starting to rank colleges based on how much their graduates actually earn.
The Department of Education in 2026 isn't the same agency it was three years ago. It’s smaller, it’s quieter, and it’s much more focused on getting out of the way. Whether that’s a "restoration of merit" or a "threat to public education" depends entirely on who you ask, but there's no doubt that Linda McMahon is the one steering the ship toward the exit.