When I first ran to be Wyoming’s superintendent of public instruction, I made a promise to fight for local control and parental empowerment, with a laser focus on delivering positive outcomes for students.
As a sixth-generation Wyomingite, former regulatory affairs manager in the mineral industry, chief policy officer for the Wyoming Department of Education, and now as your elected superintendent, I’ve seen firsthand how a bloated federal bureaucracy has stood in the way of Wyoming’s success.
That’s why I fully support President Donald Trump’s executive order to dismantle the federal Department of Education and was honored to stand in the White House alongside him as he signed this bold action into law.
It was a historic moment and a clear signal that the era of one-size-fits-all education is ending. This is not about eliminating education — it’s about improving it. And here in Wyoming, we’ve proven that local leadership works.
For too long, sweeping mandates from Washington have hamstrung states like ours- forcing cookie-cutter use of funding, burdensome testing requirements, and top-down policies that ignore the unique values and needs of our communities.
President Trump’s order is a bold and necessary step toward restoring authority to the people who know our kids best: parents, teachers and local education leaders. And yes — it’s a win for America.
I’ve heard concerns from some worried that this move means “cutting” education.
But let’s be honest, after decades of federal interference, are American students really better off?
Despite billions in federal spending, we’ve seen nationwide declines in literacy rates, falling math scores, and a growing disconnect between what kids are taught and what they need to thrive in the workforce.
It’s time to admit the truth: the Department of Education hasn’t fixed the problem — it’s become part of it.
This order doesn’t defund education. It decentralizes it. It reassigns certain functions to other agencies while still eliminating waste and streamlining funding and initiatives at the state level.
The money we were wasting on a bloated federal bureaucracy can now be put to work educating our kids.
Both the president and Secretary McMahon continue to reiterate that there will be no reduction in core statutory functions, including special education programs, Title I funding for low income students, or Pell grants.
In Wyoming, we’re ready.
I’m incredibly proud of the hardworking educators, principals, and local school boards who already lead with innovation, resilience and heart.
We’ve prioritized literacy in early grades, pushed back against political agendas in the classroom, and partnered with industry to create workforce-ready pathways for our students. We’re not waiting for federal permission and we shouldn’t have to.
Megan Degenfelder is Wyoming’s superintendent of public instruction.
