Donald Trump’s proposed school funding cuts, contingent on schools using specific educational materials, clash with the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA). ESSA, passed in 2015, limits federal control over local education decisions, prohibiting the government from mandating curricula. Trump’s funding strategy challenges ESSA’s framework, raising questions about federal vs. state control, curriculum oversight, and the enforceability of his proposals. Legal and political debates over the future of education policy are likely to follow.
