US introduces bill to cut federal education mandates, raising alarms over inequality- What is the bill exactly about?

In a move to strip down the U.S. Department of Education, Republican lawmakers introduced a bill aimed at transferring key education responsibilities to other federal agencies. Senator Mike Rounds introduced the "Returning Education to Our States Act" on April 9, 2025, with Senators Jim Banks and Tim Sheehy as co-sponsors, reviving a longstanding conservative goal of reducing federal oversight in education.

The bill, if passed, would shift substantial education responsibilities from the federal government to agencies such as Health and Human Services, Labor, Defense, and the Interior. It seeks to eliminate federal mandates like standardized testing, federal funding tied to teacher certification, and intervention programs like Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) and Targeted Support and Improvement (TSI).

The bill- explained

Under the proposed bill, states would gain full control over key areas like curriculum development, performance assessment, and professional development requirements.

The move follows an announcement from the Education Department that it plans to reduce its workforce by nearly 50%, a move that Secretary Linda McMahon described as an effort to increase "efficiency, accountability, and redirection of resources to students and educators."

Senator Banks explained that the bill was introduced to address widespread frustration with the federal education system, which he criticized for its bureaucratic inefficiencies. Senator Sheehy went even further, calling the department a "bloated federal machine" that has failed to produce meaningful results.

The bill, however, has sparked fierce opposition from education activists and Democrats. Eleven Democratic senators, including Elizabeth Warren, wrote to the Education Department's Acting Inspector General, Ren Rocque, requesting an audit of the potential consequences of the layoffs and the proposed elimination of the department. Warren, who has led a "Save Our Schools" campaign, warned that the restructuring could lead to chaos for students and families nationwide.

Rocque has agreed to review the potential impact of these changes, with findings to be shared with lawmakers later this year. President Donald Trump, a long-time advocate for dismantling the department, signed an executive order in March instructing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin the process of winding down the department.

While Republicans view the bill as a push for greater school choice and local control, critics argue it could exacerbate inequality and dismantle critical safety nets for vulnerable students.