When you think of Jimmy Carter’s presidency, peanuts and the Iran hostage crisis might come to mind. But one of his most lasting—and controversial—legacies was creating the U.S. Department of Education (ED) in 1979.
Why did Carter, a former peanut farmer and governor, decide to make education a cabinet-level priority? Was it purely about improving schools, or were there political motives too?
In this deep dive, we’ll unpack:
- The real reasons behind the ED’s creation
- The fierce debates that almost stopped it
- How it changed American education forever
- Why some people still want to abolish it today
Let’s peel back the layers of this wonky but watershed moment in U.S. history.
The Education System Before 1979: Chaos Without a Captain
Before the ED existed, education policy was a patchwork mess:
- Over 100 federal education programs were scattered across agencies
- The old Office of Education (founded in 1867!) had no real power
- States and local districts ran schools with wildly different standards
Imagine a school where every teacher taught whatever they wanted—that was basically America’s approach to education policy. Carter saw this disarray firsthand as Georgia’s governor when rural schools lacked basics like textbooks while wealthy districts thrived.
Jimmy Carter’s Personal Education Passion Project
Here’s something most people don’t know: Carter was a school board member before entering politics. His wife Rosalynn later said:
“Jimmy saw education as the great equalizer—but only if every child got a fair shot.”
As president, he pushed for the ED to:
- Streamline federal aid (Title I funds for poor schools often got lost in bureaucracy)
- Protect civil rights (enforcing desegregation and disability access)
- Boost teacher training (the 1970s saw a crisis in educator quality)
The Political Chess Game Behind the ED
But let’s be real—Carter wasn’t just doing this out of the goodness of his heart. The move was brilliant political strategy:
1. Paying Back the Teachers’ Unions
- The National Education Association (NEA) had endorsed Carter in 1976
- Creating a Cabinet seat gave teachers unprecedented clout in D.C.
- Critics called it a “political favor” (which Carter denied)
2. Stealing Reagan’s Thunder
- Education was becoming a hot-button issue in the 1980 election
- By establishing the ED, Carter positioned Democrats as the “education party”
3. Cementing His Legacy
- With inflation and Iran dominating headlines, Carter needed a domestic win
- The ED became his most enduring policy achievement
The Bloody Congressional Battle
You’d think everyone would support “helping schools,” right? Think again. The fight to create the ED was shockingly vicious:
Opposition From Unexpected Places
- Republicans feared “federal control” of local schools
- Some Democrats (like Sen. Daniel Moynihan) thought it would create bureaucracy
- Rural conservatives hated the idea of D.C. dictating curriculum
The Compromise That Saved It
To get it passed, Carter had to:
- Promise the ED wouldn’t create national standards
- Exclude key agencies like Head Start (to limit its power)
- Assure states they’d keep control
After months of arm-twisting, the bill passed by just 6 votes in the House.
What the Department Actually Did (And Didn’t Do)
Contrary to myths, the ED wasn’t created to take over schools. Its real jobs were:
| What It Did | What It Didn’t Do |
|---|---|
| Enforce civil rights laws (like IDEA for disabled kids) | Set national curriculum |
| Distribute federal aid ($80B/year today) | Control local hiring/firing |
| Collect education data (now the National Report Card) | Replace school boards |
Fun fact: The ED started with just 3,000 employees—smaller than the Agriculture Department’s mailroom staff.
The Irony of Ronald Reagan’s Flip-Flop
Here’s the kicker: Reagan vowed to abolish the ED during his 1980 campaign, calling it “Jimmy Carter’s bureaucratic boondoggle.” But once in office?
- He kept it open (too politically risky to kill)
- Even expanded some programs
- Later admitted: “It turns out parents like federal student loans”
Modern Controversies: Why Some Still Want It Gone
Fast-forward to today, and the ED remains a lightning rod:
Libertarian & Conservative Complaints
- “It’s unconstitutional!” (Nowhere does the Constitution mention federal education)
- “$80 billion a year for what?” (Critics point to stagnant test scores)
- Betsy DeVos under Trump famously said: “It should be downsized to a desk at the Labor Department”
Progressive Defenses
- “Without it, disabled kids would lose protections”
- “Title I is the only reason poor districts have nurses”
- “Someone has to police student loan companies”
Carter’s Quiet Pride in His Creation
Despite the controversies, Carter has never backed down on the ED. In a 2019 interview at age 95, he said:
“I’d do it again tomorrow. That department gave millions of children—Black, brown, disabled, rural—their first real chance.”
Conclusion: More Than Just Bureaucracy
Creating the Department of Education wasn’t just about organizing programs—it was Carter’s bet that the federal government could be a force for equal opportunity.
Did it work perfectly? No. But next time you see a kid with dyslexia getting extra help or a low-income student getting Pell Grants, that’s Carter’s legacy in action.
5 FAQs About the Department of Education’s Creation
1. Did Jimmy Carter really create the whole federal role in education?
No! The feds were involved since 1867 (see: land-grant colleges), but Carter centralized it.
2. Why do homeschoolers dislike the ED?
Many fear federal overreach, though the ED has no authority over homeschooling.
3. Has any president seriously tried to abolish it?
Reagan and Trump both proposed it, but Congress (and public opinion) blocked them.
4. What’s the ED’s biggest impact today?
Enforcing IDEA (special ed services) and Title IX (gender equity in sports).
5. Did creating the ED improve test scores?
Debatable. NAEP scores rose slightly post-1980, but many factors (like poverty) play bigger roles.
