On Wednesday, President Donald Trump signed a pair of executive orders that could transform public K-12 education in the United States. The first is an order directing federal grants to help fund state-level school choice programs, and the second attempts to ban so-called "radical indoctrination" in K-12 education.
The school choice order directs the secretary of education to issue guidance on how states can use federal formula funds to fund "K-12 educational choice initiatives." The order also contains provisions to expand school choice opportunities for low-income families, military families, and those eligible for Bureau of Indian Education schools.
"When our public education system fails such a large segment of society, it hinders our national competitiveness and devastates families and communities," the order reads. "For this reason, more than a dozen States have enacted universal K-12 scholarship programs, allowing families—rather than the government—to choose the best educational setting for their children."
