Federal Role In K-12 Education Being Reviewed Under Trump Order

President Trump is ordering Education Secretary Betsy DeVos to review what the administration says is "overreach" by previous administrations that have issued "mandates that take away autonomy and limit the options available to educators, administrators, and parents."

Trump has repeatedly attacked the Education department since his days on the campaign trail, saying its role in education needs to be diminished and the department downsized.

"This executive order makes certain that local leaders will be making the decisions about what happens in the classroom," said Rob Goad, a senior official at the department.

WATCH: Trump Signs The Order

"Parents will no longer have to worry about the federal government enacting overreaching mandates or requiring states to adopt a federal curriculum at the expense of local education innovation."

Goad said that DeVos' top aide, Bob Eitel, will direct a task force that will spend 300 days reviewing all regulations and guidances issued by the department and determine whether "they're consistent or inconsistent with federal law."

At the end of the 300 days, the task force will present a report to DeVos. Goad said the report will be made public.

The focus of the task force will be regulations and guidances issued in relation to K-12 education.

It's not clear how this executive order actually changes anything.

DeVos already has the authority to change the department's regulations and guidances issued by previous administrations such as she did earlier this year when she rescinded a guidance issued by the Obama administration on bathroom use by transgenders in schools.

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