A new poll by Parents Defending Education (PDE) reveals that 52% of U.S. parents favor reducing the size and influence of the Department of Education. The survey highlights growing dissatisfaction with the federal agency’s role in shaping education policy, particularly among Republican and independent parents.
The poll found significant partisan divides: 67% of Republican parents and 53% of independents support scaling back the department, compared to just 29% of Democrats. By ethnicity, most groups back the change, with the exception of black parents, 37% of whom support the reduction.
The survey follows President-elect Donald Trump’s campaign promises to abolish the Department of Education and return control to states and local communities. Trump criticized the department’s inefficiency, pointing out that despite spending more per pupil than any other country, U.S. education rankings lag globally. “We’re going to end education coming out of Washington D.C.,” Trump said during a 2024 speech.
The PDE poll also shows widespread agreement among parents—77% overall—on the need for the department to allow states greater flexibility in managing school districts. This sentiment spans political affiliations, with strong support from Republicans (85%), independents (77%), and Democrats (67%).
Parents remain divided on whether the department uses its resources effectively, with 48% agreeing and 50% disagreeing. Democrat parents were more likely (68%) to approve of resource allocation, compared to 38% of Republicans and 48% of independents.
However, a clear consensus emerged on one issue: 90% of parents agree that focusing on core subjects like math, reading, writing, science, and social studies would improve public education. This includes broad support across political lines—92% of Republicans, 88% of independents, and 91% of Democrats.
The poll results come amid scrutiny of the Department of Education’s spending. PDE highlighted over $1 billion in grants from 2021 onward for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) programs. The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), led by Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, revealed that nearly $490 million was spent on race-based hiring, $343 million on DEI programming, and $169 million on DEI mental health initiatives.
Nicole Neily, PDE’s president, noted parents’ dissatisfaction with the modern education system and called for a return to basics. “Federal bureaucrats have sacrificed the needs of students and families to appease unions’ and activists’ insatiable demands for money and power,” Neily said.
The survey, conducted from December 12–18, 2024, included 1,000 parents with children under 18 and has a margin of error of ±3.1%.
