Trump’s First 100 Days: What Education Leaders Need to Know

President Trump’s return to office has triggered a fast-moving sequence of education policy shifts. Within just 100 days, his administration has advanced actions affecting civil rights enforcement, AI curriculum mandates, federal oversight, and funding structures across both K–12 and higher education. These changes are not isolated or symbolic—they are shaping real-time decision-making for district leaders, college administrators, and policymakers alike. The following analysis provides a clear summary of the most impactful changes and begins to trace how different segments of the education market are responding. From institutional pushback and legal resistance to state-led innovation and strategy realignment, the response to these federal shifts is already underway.

Federal Disruption and Policy Realignment

The early months of the Trump administration produced a rapid and consequential reordering of federal education priorities. In contrast to gradual reforms of past administrations, this shift was characterized by swift executive directives and structural changes that have reshaped the role of federal agencies in education governance. These actions directly impacted oversight capacity, instructional policy, institutional funding, and the regulatory expectations facing both K–12 and higher education sectors. The result is a new federal posture marked by deregulation, ideological repositioning, and emerging legal conflict.

Key changes include:

• Departmental restructuring and layoffs: Significant cuts were made to the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights, Office of Educational Technology, and research divisions like NCES. These reductions raised concerns about the department’s ability to maintain oversight, especially for vulnerable student populations.
• Proposed transfer of special education oversight: A controversial proposal to shift oversight from the Department of Education to HHS met with intense pushback from disability rights advocates, who warned it could dilute IDEA protections and redefine services through a clinical lens.
• Executive orders on AI in K–12: One notable initiative prioritized AI literacy in STEM education. While seen as a step toward modernization, critics flagged the lack of dedicated funding and infrastructure as barriers to equitable implementation.
• Ideological oversight of higher ed: A new order linked accreditation and federal funding to "viewpoint diversity," prompting debate over academic freedom and government overreach. Institutions must now publicly document support for open debate to remain eligible for certain funding streams.
• Legal and constitutional tensions: Immigration enforcement incidents in schools—such as the controversial ICE activity in Los Angeles—and legal disputes over DEI policy enforcement have further strained relationships between federal, state, and local education entities.

The early policy moves reflect a broader federal realignment—reducing oversight, shifting priorities toward deregulation, and embedding cultural ideology into education governance.

Institutional Response and Strategic Adjustment

Federal actions have placed new pressures on institutional operations across the education sector. As funding declines and policy guardrails shift, schools and colleges must make difficult decisions about resource allocation, compliance, and long-term strategy. This section outlines how K–12 districts, higher education institutions, and state governments are adapting in response to the evolving federal landscape.

Key areas of response include:

• K–12 retrenchment and local strain: With the expiration of ESSER funds and federal pandemic-era supports, districts are scaling back tutoring, after-school programs, and student services. Proposed cuts to Head Start and IDEA reimbursements exacerbate challenges in rural and underserved communities. In response, some districts are prioritizing high-impact programs, seeking local or philanthropic funding, and adopting more flexible procurement models.
• Higher education risk and repositioning: Colleges and universities are revising compliance strategies in light of restrictions on DEI funding and increased scrutiny over accreditation. Institutions—especially those serving historically marginalized populations—are also reevaluating risk exposure and emphasizing workforce-aligned programming to reinforce institutional value amid public and political pressure.
• State-led innovation and autonomy: As federal oversight pulls back, states are launching reforms of their own. Efforts include performance-based funding, dual-enrollment expansion, and localized procurement modernization. In cities such as Philadelphia and Baltimore, state and philanthropic investment is being used to maintain summer and enrichment programs. Meanwhile, states are testing new legal boundaries via waivers and reinterpretations of federal expectations.

The impact of these shifts will depend on how institutions balance mission with market demands and how quickly they can adapt their strategies.

Navigating the Road Ahead

Looking ahead, education leaders must be prepared to operate within a constantly shifting policy environment. What once were temporary disruptions now represent a lasting pattern of change, requiring greater responsiveness and foresight. Institutions that prioritize scenario planning, transparent data use, and strategic collaboration will be better equipped to navigate this evolving federal landscape and lead with stability and vision.

As federal policy grows less predictable, education leaders must focus on long-term clarity, operational stability, and scenario-based planning.

Stay Informed

Simba Information provides ongoing analysis of US education policy, institutional strategy, and market trends.

To explore these topics in greater depth—including expanded coverage of DEI developments, AI implementation, and federal compliance shifts—request access to the latest issue of Education Market Advisor newsletter, the pre-eminent source of business news and analysis for educational publishing and marketing for over 40 years. 

About the blogger: Martha Scharping is the Education Analyst and Writer for Simba Information, the leading authority of strategic intelligence for EdTech companies and other producers of instructional materials for K-12 and higher education.