Court blocks Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Education Department

A federal appeals court has denied the U.S. Department of Education’s request to temporarily halt a district judge’s preliminary injunction, effectively preventing the Trump administration from dismantling the department as planned.

The decision comes after Washington, D.C., and two states filed a request to halt the Department of Education (DOE) and Trump administration’s proposed Reduction in Force (RIF), which would have resulted in the termination of half of the remaining DOE employees and the closure of the department.

The dismantling of the DOE was announced on March 11, 2025, prompting a lawsuit against Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, President Donald Trump, and others just two days later in the District of Massachusetts. Subsequently, five labor organizations and two school districts also filed suit against the administration.

In response to the injunction against the transfer of certain department functions, which was announced on March 21, the District Court merged the cases and issued an order to halt the president’s actions. The Trump administration appealed the decision and requested a temporary stay of the district court’s order, but the request was denied by the appeals court on Wednesday.

The court of appeals emphasized the significance of the case, noting that the District Court found that the closure of the department would prevent it from carrying out its assigned functions, dating back nearly half a century. The denial of the stay motion was based on the extensive findings made by the District Court and the absence of contrary evidence provided by the appellants.

Following the announcement of the department closure, Republican senators introduced the \”Returning Education to Our States Act\” in April. The bill seeks to redirect portions of the department to other federal agencies, such as the Departments of Interior, Treasury, Health and Human Services, Labor, Defense, Justice, and State.

The bill aims to eliminate the Department of Education, which has grown into what some view as an oversized bureaucracy dictating one-size-fits-all policies and standards for students nationwide. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has previously expressed support for eliminating the department and discussed the legislation with lawmakers.

In addition to abolishing the agency, the bill proposes changes to compliance requirements in education, granting schools more autonomy in setting teacher certification standards and professional development plans. The executive order issued by President Donald Trump directs the department to facilitate its closure and return education authority to states and local communities.

The bill is set to be debated in the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, alongside President Trump’s executive order and campaign promise to reshape the American education system. Fox News Digital’s Preston Mizell and Greg Wehner contributed to this report, with story tips and ideas welcome at Greg.Wehner@Fox.com and on Twitter @GregWehner.