Education Secretary Promotes Local Control on U.S. Tour

Education Secretary Linda McMahon will engage in a four-state tour to advocate for the Trump administration’s agenda of returning educational control to local communities. Titled “The Next 250: American Education,” this tour will feature her vision for the forthcoming 250 years of American education. The focus will be on minimizing federal control and enhancing local decision-making.

McMahon will start her tour in Utah, where she will articulate the administration’s efforts to reform K-12 education. Her keynote address will emphasize returning education authority to states, focusing on effective learning methods, and broadening educational freedom for American students and families. McMahon stated that the administration aims to prioritize the fundamental responsibility of nurturing children’s potential rather than expanding government power.

Following her Utah visit, McMahon’s tour will extend to Nevada, Arizona, and Tennessee. During these stops, she will discuss workforce training programs, Pell Grants, and the rising costs of higher education. Her tour supports a broader departmental initiative titled “Returning Education to the States,” which advocates for shifting administrative authority to local leaders.

An Education Department spokesperson highlighted disappointing national assessment results, stating that only 30% of American students are proficient in reading and math despite substantial federal investment. This statistic underscores the need for localized education control, according to the administration.

The tour also follows President Trump’s recent White House event advocating for school choice initiatives. Trump emphasized the need for educational flexibility and criticized the influence of political extremism in classrooms. The planned Education Freedom Tax Credit, set to launch in January 2027, aims to incentivize donations to scholarship-granting organizations by offering tax credits to contributors.

This policy aligns with an agreement between the Education and Treasury Departments to transition certain Education Department responsibilities. Student loan operations will move to the Treasury Department, marking efforts to reduce the Education Department’s scope.

McMahon, a mother and grandmother, emphasized the importance of parental involvement in education and described the department’s primary function as managing federal grants. She noted that its role in governing local curricula is often misunderstood.

McMahon’s tour will conclude in Tennessee with a keynote addressing public trust, administrative oversight, and academic standards in higher education. This visit marks the final stage of her multi-state initiative.