Project 2025 education policies will change what students learn and how schools operate

Doctrine of Race

Project 2025 has raised concerns on the political right that teaching students about race and racism may promote anti-white bias. The paper discusses the legal concept of critical race theory and argues that when it is used in teacher training and school activities such as “mandatory affinity groups,” it undermines “the values ​​that hold communities together, such as equality before the law and colorblindness.” »

The document calls for legislation requiring schools to adopt proposals “that say no person should receive punishment or benefits based on the color of his skin,” among other recommendations. He also calls for a federal Parenting Bill of Rights that would give families a “fair trial” if they believe the federal government is enforcing policies that undermine their right to raise their children. — Caroline Preston

Section I

Funded at just over $18 billion for fiscal year 2024, the program is the largest federal program for K-12 schools and is designed to help low-income children. The Conservative plan would encourage lawmakers to make the program a block grant to states with few restrictions on how it can be used, and then phase it out entirely after 10 years. It also says lawmakers should allow parents at Title I schools to use some of that funding to create education savings accounts that could be spent on private tutoring or other services. — CAS

Higher education

Affirmative Action and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

The document calls for holding accountable “all state and local governments, institutions of higher education, corporations, and any other private employers” that support affirmative action or DEI policies. This position is consistent with views expressed by Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, regarding the use of race in college admissions and beyond. — Liz Willen

Data collection

In higher education, the proposal argues that college completion and earnings data require “risk adjustment” to account for the types of students served by a particular institution. While selective colleges tend to have the highest graduation rates and student earnings, they also tend to admit the least “risky” students. The risk-adjustment approach could benefit community colleges, which often have low graduation rates but enroll many nontraditional students who face barriers to degree completion. It would also likely benefit for-profit colleges, which also tend to admit the majority of applicants. Historically, for-profit schools have come under scrutiny under Democratic administrations for poor results and for allegedly misleading students about the value of the education they provide. Republican administrations generally support less regulation of business organizations. — SB