OPINION:
Through his new Department of Government Efficiency, President-elect Donald Trump has introduced a much-needed directive to improve the federal government’s functionality. As the longest-tenured statewide school superintendent in America, I believe there are easy DOGE-inspired maneuvers that could be implemented at the Department of Education, furthering the agency’s mission while drastically reducing bureaucracy.
When I became North Dakota’s superintendent of public instruction, I inherited an agency that, while well intentioned, had grown larger than necessary to effectively serve our students and educators. Over the past decade, I’ve reduced our state education agency staff by nearly 20%, saving North Dakota taxpayers millions. This was no easy task, but it was necessary to ensure every dollar possible is used where it matters most: supporting our students and schools.
This approach offers a clear blueprint for reform at the federal level, where Mr. Trump’s vision for a leaner federal government, including the Department of Education, could deliver transformative results for America’s education system. Refocusing federal efforts can streamline operations, improve efficiency and return decision-making power to states and local communities — where it belongs.
In North Dakota, we prioritized modernization, cross-agency collaboration and a commitment to doing more with less. We shifted certain mental health and behavioral support services from the Department of Public Instruction to the Department of Human Services. We transitioned away from directly investigating noncompliance with state and federal law by partnering with county state’s attorneys and the North Dakota Attorney General’s Office to handle these matters. We teamed up with the Bank of North Dakota to centralize the management of student scholarships and financial assistance programs.
These moves leveraged expertise in problem-solving while allowing my agency to focus on educational outcomes.
Similarly, at the federal level, significant savings and improvements could be achieved by reassigning key responsibilities to agencies better suited to handle them.
Civil rights investigations should transition to the Department of Justice, where specialized expertise in enforcement and legal matters already exists.
Student loans and administration of federal student aid should be overseen by the Department of the Treasury, ensuring these financial processes are managed with the rigor and efficiency of a financial institution.
The National Center for Education Statistics should find a better home in the Bureau of Labor Statistics, streamlining data collection and analysis related to workforce needs and educational outcomes.
These commonsense shifts would immediately reduce redundancy and ensure that critical functions are handled by agencies with aligned missions and expertise. These moves would pave the way for further efforts to create a slimmer Department of Education to focus on its core mission: supporting states in improving student outcomes and fostering innovation without unnecessary bureaucracy.
As our results show, you can slash bureaucratic spending while improving outcomes. In 2018, we launched the Choice Ready framework, a high school accountability system. This initiative ensures students are prepared for their future, whether that’s college, the workforce or military service. Through personalized planning, rigorous coursework and access to hands-on career and technical education, students explore diverse pathways and graduate with the tools they need to succeed.
This approach has yielded remarkable progress: In 2018, just 21% of North Dakota students graduated “Choice Ready.” By 2024, that percentage more than tripled to 71% — and we’re racing toward 100%. These results underscore the power of local innovation and the importance of aligning education with workforce demands.
Mr. Trump’s plan to significantly reduce the federal Department of Education aligns with what we’ve achieved in North Dakota: a smaller, smarter government that respects taxpayers and delivers results. By cutting bureaucracy and embracing innovation, Mr. Trump and Secretary-designate Linda McMahon can create a national education system that is efficient, responsive and focused on what matters most — improving our students’ futures.
• Kirsten Baesler has been North Dakota’s superintendent of public instruction since 2012.
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