the issues: education
In the 2024 presidential race, Kamala Harris, the Democratic candidate, and Donald Trump, the Republican candidate, present starkly different visions for education policy in the United States. Education is a critical issue that impacts not only individual Americans but also the country's economic competitiveness and social stability. Both candidates have outlined their positions and track records on key educational issues, including school choice, funding for public education, higher education, and student debt. This essay will explore the factual education policy positions of both Harris and Trump, providing a comparison of their approaches and past actions.
Kamala Harris: A Focus on Equity and Public Education
Kamala Harris, the former vice president and U.S. senator from California, has long been an advocate for public education, emphasizing the need to address inequalities within the education system. Her platform in 2024, building on her work as vice president, focuses on expanding access to quality education for all students, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Public School Funding and Teacher Pay: One of the cornerstone issues of Harris’s education platform is increasing funding for public schools and raising teacher salaries. Harris has consistently argued that underfunded public schools disproportionately affect low-income and minority students, perpetuating educational inequities. During her 2020 presidential campaign, she proposed the largest federal investment in teacher pay in U.S. history, seeking to increase teacher salaries by an average of $13,500 per year. Harris believes that increasing teacher pay is essential to recruiting and retaining quality educators, particularly in underserved areas.
As vice president, Harris supported the Biden administration’s efforts to increase funding for Title I schools, which serve high percentages of low-income students. In 2021, the American Rescue Plan included $130 billion in funding for K-12 schools to help them reopen safely during the COVID-19 pandemic and address learning loss. Harris has emphasized the need to continue investing in public schools, arguing that all students deserve access to a high-quality education, regardless of their zip code.
Expanding Access to Early Childhood Education: Harris has been a vocal advocate for expanding access to early childhood education, which she argues is critical for setting children up for success later in life. She has supported universal pre-kindergarten for all three- and four-year-olds, a policy that was also a major component of the Biden administration’s Build Back Better plan. Although the plan did not pass Congress, Harris continues to push for increased federal investment in early childhood education, citing research that shows early learning is crucial for cognitive and social development.
Higher Education and Student Debt: On higher education, Harris supports making community college tuition-free for all students and significantly reducing the cost of attending four-year public universities. As vice president, she backed the Biden administration’s efforts to expand Pell Grants and other forms of financial aid for low-income students. Harris has also been a strong advocate for student loan debt relief. In 2023, she supported Biden’s attempt to forgive up to $20,000 in federal student loans for eligible borrowers, a plan that was ultimately blocked by the Supreme Court. In response, Harris has called for alternative paths to relieve student debt, including reforming the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program and capping loan payments as a percentage of income.
Addressing Racial Inequities in Education: A key theme of Harris’s education policy is addressing racial inequities within the U.S. education system. Harris has highlighted disparities in school funding, discipline, and access to advanced coursework that disproportionately affect Black, Latino, and Native American students. She supports policies aimed at closing these gaps, including increasing funding for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) and other minority-serving institutions. Harris has also called for reforms to school discipline practices that contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline, particularly for students of color.
Donald Trump: A Focus on School Choice and Deregulation
Donald Trump’s education policy is centered around school choice and reducing the role of the federal government in education. Throughout his presidency (2017-2021), Trump pushed for expanding charter schools and private school voucher programs, arguing that competition would improve educational outcomes. Trump’s education secretary, Betsy DeVos, was a staunch advocate for school choice, and together, they sought to shift public funding toward alternatives to traditional public schools.
School Choice and Vouchers: Trump’s primary education policy focus has been on expanding school choice, which includes charter schools, private school vouchers, and homeschooling. He has argued that allowing parents to choose where their children go to school, whether public or private, will lead to better educational outcomes by fostering competition among schools. In 2020, Trump proposed a $5 billion federal tax credit program that would provide scholarships to students attending private schools, but the plan did not gain traction in Congress.
Trump has framed school choice as a way to empower parents and break the monopoly of public schools, which he has criticized for underperforming. He often points to charter schools as examples of how alternative education models can offer better outcomes, particularly in urban areas. However, critics of Trump’s school choice agenda argue that diverting public funds to private and charter schools undermines the public education system and exacerbates inequalities by taking resources away from traditional public schools.
Deregulation and the Role of the Federal Government: Throughout his presidency, Trump sought to reduce the role of the federal government in education, advocating for local control over schools. He and DeVos rolled back several Obama-era education regulations, particularly those related to civil rights and oversight of for-profit colleges. For example, Trump’s administration rescinded guidance that allowed transgender students to use bathrooms corresponding to their gender identity in public schools, arguing that such decisions should be left to states and local school districts.
In higher education, Trump and DeVos rolled back regulations designed to hold for-profit colleges accountable for misleading students and leaving them with high levels of debt. They rescinded the Obama-era "gainful employment" rule, which required for-profit institutions to demonstrate that their graduates could find jobs and repay their student loans. Critics of Trump’s approach argue that deregulation left students vulnerable to predatory practices by for-profit institutions, while Trump’s supporters argue that reducing federal oversight was necessary to eliminate burdensome regulations.
Opposition to Student Loan Forgiveness: Trump has been critical of large-scale student loan forgiveness programs, which he views as unfair to taxpayers who did not take out loans or have already paid them off. During his presidency, Trump proposed simplifying income-driven repayment plans but did not pursue widespread loan forgiveness. In contrast to Harris, Trump believes that the government should not be responsible for forgiving large amounts of student debt, and he has called for reforms that would make colleges more accountable for the cost of tuition and the quality of education they provide.
However, Trump did temporarily suspend federal student loan payments and interest accrual during the COVID-19 pandemic as part of the CARES Act, a measure that provided temporary relief to borrowers. He did not, however, support the Biden administration’s broader efforts to forgive student loans on a permanent basis.
Civics Education and "Patriotic Education": In his second term campaign, Trump has renewed his push for what he calls "patriotic education." During his presidency, Trump criticized what he described as a liberal bias in American education, particularly in how history and civics are taught. He opposed initiatives like The New York Times' "1619 Project," which focuses on the legacy of slavery, and instead promoted the idea of teaching American history in a way that emphasizes the country’s achievements and patriotic values.
In 2020, Trump announced the creation of the 1776 Commission, which aimed to promote "patriotic education" in schools, arguing that students should be taught to take pride in America’s history. The commission released a report in early 2021, but it was criticized by historians for downplaying the role of slavery and other injustices in American history. The Biden administration disbanded the 1776 Commission shortly after taking office, but Trump has pledged to revive his efforts to reform civics education if re-elected.
Key Differences Between Harris and Trump on Education
Public Education vs. School Choice:
Kamala Harris: Harris is a strong advocate for public education and believes in increasing federal funding for public schools, particularly those serving low-income students. She opposes school voucher programs that divert funds from public schools.
Donald Trump: Trump’s education policy centers on expanding school choice, including vouchers for private schools and increased support for charter schools. He believes that competition will improve the quality of education, particularly for disadvantaged students.
Federal Role in Education:
Kamala Harris: Harris supports a robust federal role in ensuring equitable access to quality education. She believes the federal government should increase funding for public schools and hold institutions accountable for serving all students, particularly marginalized communities.
Donald Trump: Trump advocates for reducing the federal government’s involvement in education and returning control to states and local school districts. He supports deregulation and opposes federal mandates on issues like civil rights in education.
Student Loan Debt and Higher Education:
Kamala Harris: Harris supports widespread student loan forgiveness and making higher education more affordable through tuition-free community college and increased financial aid for low-income students.
Donald Trump: Trump opposes large-scale student loan forgiveness, arguing that it is unfair to taxpayers. He supports simplifying repayment plans and reducing the role of the federal government in higher education.
Curriculum and Civics Education:
Kamala Harris: Harris has not made civics education a major part of her platform but supports a curriculum that addresses social justice and equity issues.
Donald Trump: Trump advocates for "patriotic education" that emphasizes American exceptionalism.