You did not pull your children out of the broken school system to sit back and let the government restructure itself without a plan. This is the moment strategy matters most.
Let me be real with you. When I saw the headlines about the Department of Education being dismantled, my first thought was not panic. It was preparation. After 18 years of homeschooling, I have learned that the mothers who thrive are not the ones who react. They are the ones who already have a strategy in place.
This is not the time to be overwhelmed. This is the time to be informed, intentional, and ready. So let me break this down for you the BADDIE way, with truth, light, and love.
What Is Actually Happening?
In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing his administration to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education "to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law."[1] It is critical to understand that only Congress has the legal authority to fully eliminate the department. That has not stopped significant changes from already being put into motion.
The Department of Education was originally created by Congress in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter. It oversees Title I funding for low-income schools, federal student loans and Pell Grants, civil rights enforcement in education, and special education programs. It does NOT set curriculum or manage what is taught in classrooms.[2]
In November 2025, the Trump administration announced six inter agency agreements moving major offices OUT of the Department of Education and into other federal agencies.[3] Here is exactly where things are going:
• The Department of Labor is now overseeing the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) and the Office of Post-secondary Education, which includes Title I funding for low-income schools.[3]
• The Department of Interior is taking over the Indian Education Division.[3]
• The State Department is now managing foreign language education programs.[3]
• Health and Human Services is taking over child care access programs for college students.[3]
• The Office for Civil Rights (OCR), which enforces anti-discrimination laws in schools, is expected to be transferred to the Department of Justice.[4]
• The Office of Special Education Programs has been severely impacted by mass layoffs, with 95% of staff notified of job elimination.[5]
IMPORTANT: Federal student loans, Pell Grants, and Title I funding are NOT being eliminated. The agencies overseeing them ARE changing. This disruption matters and must be monitored closely. |
Why This Matters for Homeschool Families
Be for real. You might be thinking that you already pulled your children out of the public school system, so why does this affect you? It affects you in more ways than you think. Here is what The Homeschool Strategist needs you to understand.
1. Civil Rights Protections Are Shifting
The Office for Civil Rights has historically been the agency families contact when their children experience discrimination in educational settings. Moving this office to the Department of Justice means families may need to pursue litigation rather than administrative complaints to resolve civil rights issues.[6] That is a higher barrier. More time, more money, and more energy for already overwhelmed families.
According to U.S. News and World Report, the OCR has already lost about half of its staff, and the department's own data shows a decline in resolving civil rights cases even as new complaints from families have increased.[6]
2. State-Level Power Is Increasing
As the federal government steps back, individual states are gaining more control over education policy and funding decisions. Only Congress has the authority to relocate these offices, and federal law states these programs must remain housed in the Department of Education.[5] However, the administration is proceeding through inter-agency agreements, which advocacy organizations are challenging as illegal.
For homeschool families, this means your state laws and state-level advocacy matter now more than ever. You need to know exactly what your state requires and stay current as those requirements evolve.
3. Special Education Families Face Serious Risk
Roughly 7.5 million students, which is 15 percent of the U.S. student population, receive special education services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).[7] The potential transfer of the Office of Special Education to HHS raises serious concerns about whether these children will continue to receive the services and protections they are legally entitled to.
4. Homeschool Regulations Could Change
When federal oversight weakens, states fill the gap, and not always in ways that favor homeschool families. Some states may use this moment to push for increased homeschool regulation and oversight. Being connected to a strategic homeschool community is no longer optional. It is necessary.
STRATEGIC TRUTH: The families who will navigate this best are not the ones with the most resources. They are the ones who are the most connected, the most informed, and the most intentional. |
What You Need to Do Right Now. The BADDIE Way.
Stop lying to yourself. Hoping this all goes away is not a strategy. Here is your action plan.
• BECOMING: Educate yourself on your state's specific homeschool laws. Do not assume what was true last year is still true today.
• ALIGNED: Make sure your homeschool approach and documentation are aligned with your state's current requirements. Stay ahead of any new legislation.
• DISCIPLINED: Consistently follow homeschool advocacy organizations in your state so you receive updates in real time.
• DETERMINED: Do not let the noise of federal policy changes derail your homeschool mission. Your why has not changed. Your awareness just needs to sharpen.
• INTENTIONAL: Build community with other homeschool families who are engaged, informed, and strategic. Isolation is the enemy of preparedness.
• EVERYDAY: Make policy awareness a regular part of your homeschool planning, not a reaction to a headline.
The Bottom Line
The dismantling of the Department of Education is not the end of homeschooling. For many of us, it is actually confirmation that we made the right decision to take our children's education into our own hands.
But now is not the time to be passive. Now is the time to be strategic. The most protected homeschool families will be the ones who are informed, connected, and operating with intention, not the ones who are waiting to see what happens next.
You have already done the hardest part. You chose to homeschool. Now let us make sure you are doing it with the strategy and community support to thrive no matter what the government decides to do next.
You are not just a homeschool mom. You are the CEO of your children's education. Lead like it.
READY TO STOP NAVIGATING THIS ALONE? Join the BaddieHood Community, where strategic homeschool, moms stay informed, connected, and supported no matter what the government decides to do next. Inside the community you get: Real-time homeschool policy updates and strategy A community of intentional, strategic homeschool mothers Access to the full BADDIE Framework for homeschool success Direct access to Tia, The Homeschool Strategist Click the Link Below to join! |
REFERENCES
All sources were accessed in February 2026. Information is current as of the publication date of each source.
[1] Capital Research Center. "The Department of Education Dismantled: What's Next?." Capital Research Center. 2025. https://capitalresearch.org/article/the-department-of-education-dismantled-whats-next/
[2] U.S. News and World Report. "The Dismantling of the Education Department." U.S. News and World Report. November 19, 2025. https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/what-happens-if-the-education-department-is-dissolved
[3] Autistic Self Advocacy Network. "What Is Happening at the Department of Education?." Autistic Self Advocacy Network. November 2025. https://autisticadvocacy.org/2025/11/what-is-happening-at-the-department-of-education/
[4] Inside Higher Ed. "McMahon Breaks Up More of the Education Department." Inside Higher Ed. November 18, 2025. https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/11/18/mcmahon-breaks-more-education-department
[5] National Disability Organizations Coalition. "Request Bipartisan Oversight Hearings for Dismantling of US Department of Education." NDSC Center. Updated November 18, 2025. https://www.votervoice.net/mobile/NDSCCenter/Campaigns/123043/Respond
[6] WTTW Chicago News. "The Education Department Is Dismantling. Here's What That Means." WTTW Chicago News. November 19, 2025. https://news.wttw.com/2025/11/19/education-department-dismantling-here-s-what-means
[7] National Education Association. "How Dismantling the Department of Education Would Harm Students." NEA. 2025. https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/how-dismantling-department-education-would-harm-students
[8] K-12 Dive. "Trump 2.0: A Sea Change for K-12." K-12 Dive. January 20, 2026. https://www.k12dive.com/news/trump-20-a-sea-change-for-k-12/809901/
Best,
Tia, Homeschool Strategist