US President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to disband the Department of Education, fulfilling a campaign promise and a long-held goal of some conservatives.
Accusing the agency of "failures" that he called incredible, Trump promised to return the agency's money to every US state.
"We're going to close it down as soon as possible," Trump said, although the White House said a decision by both houses of Congress would be necessary to completely close the agency.
The move is already facing legal challenges from those seeking to block the agency's closure, as well as major staff cuts announced last week.
Surrounded by children sitting at makeshift school desks at the White House on Thursday, Trump said that "the United States spends far more money on education than any other country," but that this is not reflected in the results that American students achieve.
The White House announced that the Trump administration will eliminate certain parts of the agency, respecting legal restrictions.
The executive order will likely face legal challenges, as have many other Trump administration moves aimed at reducing federal government staff and costs.
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Most American children attend public schools, which are free and run by local officials.
A common misconception is that the federal Department of Education governs American schools and sets curriculum, but this is primarily done by states and local districts.
A relatively small percentage of primary and secondary schools are financed from the federal budget - around 13 percent.
Most of the money comes from state and local taxes.
Established in 1979, the Department administers student loans and runs programs to assist low-income students and their parents.
But Trump accused him of indoctrinating young people with racial, sexual and political content.
The largest American education union recently criticized Trump's plans, saying he "is not interested in opportunities for all children."
“Nobody likes bureaucracy and everyone is in favor of greater efficiency, so let's find ways to achieve that.
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While signing the order, Trump praised Linda McMahon, whom he appointed to lead the department, and said he hoped she would be the last education secretary.
I'll find something else for her to do in administration, he said.
After Trump signed the order, Bill Cassidy, a Republican senator from Louisiana, announced legislation aimed at closing the Department of Education.
Republicans have a majority in the Senate (53 to 47), but 60 votes are needed to close a federal department, making the implementation of this order uncertain.
Even if the Department is not formally closed, the Trump administration could significantly limit funding and decimate staff.
He did this with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), which had to suspend many programs.
The text of the executive order does not contain details about which programs might be eliminated.
It orders Linda McMahon to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure."
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