The Executive Orders Project - Education

By Adele Uphaus
MANAGING EDITOR AND CORRESPONDENT
Email Adele

Updated April 21, 2025

Overview

The White House has issued the following Executive Orders that could affect K-12 education:

• Defending Women from Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government (issued January 20): States that when administering or enforcing sex-based distinctions, every agency and all federal employees acting in an official capacity on behalf of their agency shall use the term “sex” and not “gender” in all applicable federal policies and documents. The EO further defines “gender identity” as “an internal and subjective sense of self” and directs agencies to take steps to eradicate use of the term and to implement regulations, guidance, forms and communications to comply with this order.

• Expanding Educational Freedom and Opportunity for Families (issued January 29): The EO directs the Secretary of Education to issue guidance within 60 days regarding how states can use federal formula funds to support K-12 school choice; directs the Secretaries of Labor, Education, Health and Human Services, and Defense to, within 90 days, issue guidance on how federal grants and funding can support school choice.

• Ending Radical Indoctrination in K-12 Schooling (issued January 29): Directs the Secretaries of Education, Defense, and Health and Human Services, along with the Attorney General, to develop recommendations within 90 days for “eliminating Federal funding or support [both direct and indirect] for illegal and discriminatory treatment and indoctrination in K-12 schools, including based on gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology.”

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