Linda McMahon says Trump administration won't punish states that refuse to adopt school choice

Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon told Fox News Digital that the Trump administration won’t penalize states that refuse to adopt school choice legislation.

"We wouldn’t be penalizing because that is a state function," McMahon told Fox News Digital on Tuesday.

"That is not a handle here in Washington. We are definitely providing information, working with states relative to school choice. And hopefully they will look at some of the other states around the country who have adopted school choice," McMahon added.

Meanwhile, the Trump administration has threatened federal funds to states over other issues. Trump publicly sparred with Maine Democratic Gov. Janet Mills over the state allowing transgender female students to compete in women sports. The Department of Education launched an investigation into the state for allowing trans athletes to compete in girls sports and for potential Title IX violations. 

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McMahon’s comments came after President Donald Trump said that he wants education to be left to the states to handle, citing failure in public schools that children are forced to attend. He signed an executive order earlier this month directing McMahon to "facilitate the closure of the Department of Education." 

"I certainly feel as the president that no kid should be trapped in a failing school," McMahon told Fox News Digital.

In January, Trump administration issued guidance on how states can utilize federal resources to support "education choice initiatives."

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Over a dozen states passed universal school choice legislation, with Wyoming, Idaho, and Tennessee recently joining the trend.

School choice advocates want to make education savings accounts available for all K-12 students, so parents can use taxpayer dollars to have alternatives to local public schools such as charter schools, private schools, and homeschooling.

Texas has been facing an uphill battle as Republican lawmakers representing schools in rural areas were at odds with Gov. Greg Abbott's school choice vision. Texas lawmakers, including Republicans, share concerns that savings accounts could drain funds from public schools in rural districts. 

Beyond rural districts, teachers unions have generally opposed school choice measures because they argue it siphons funds needed for public schools.

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In the interview with Fox News Digital, McMahon rejected the notion that school choice would "destroy public schools, saying "that’s currently not the case."

She pointed to Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds, and how her state passed school choice and public schools have increased in quality. 

"In fact, Governor Reynolds in Iowa has said that all of her public schools have come up," McMahon said. "They kind of rise to the level of the competition when there is more school choice and more programs are being offered and more sharing of information of what is working and how we're adapting these things for our kids, whether it's a charter school, whether it's a magnet school, whether it's homeschooling."

"And I think as all of these communities share their information and their successes and their failures, we'll see our education levels continue to rise," McMahon added.

Reynolds signed an universal school choice bill in 2023 called the Students First Act, allowing any Iowa student to use public money to pay for private school tuition or other expenses.

"We try to encourage the governors to talk and state superintendents to talk about how effective it is in their state," McMahon said.

McMahon went on to say, "There's just no one-size-fits-all in education. What's great in Louisiana might not work in Kansas, might not work in New York City or in my home state of Connecticut. So we want local superintendents, local teachers, parents involved… in their students' curriculum to make it be the best it can be for them."