Urge Congress to dismantle United States Department of Education

As Introduced

136th
General Assembly

Regular
Session
S. C. R. No. 16

2025-2026

Senator
Brenner

Cosponsors:
Senators Cirino, Roegner, Schaffer

A
c o n c u r r e n t R E S O L U T I O N

To
urge Congress to dismantle the United States Department of Education.

BE
IT RESOLVED BY THE SENATE OF THE STATE OF OHIO (THE HOUSE OF
REPRESENTATIVES CONCURRING):

WHEREAS,
The United States Constitution establishes a federal system that
reserves those powers not
delegated to the
federal government to the states and the people; and

WHEREAS,
Education is not a power delegated to the federal government and has
historically been governed by states and local communities
accountable to families; and

WHEREAS,
The creation of the United States Department of Education expanded
federal involvement in education significantly, while academic
achievement stagnated or declined; and

WHEREAS,
National assessments and polling show troubling trends in student
reading and math performance, as well as a lack of basic civic
knowledge; and

WHEREAS,
Decades of increased federal spending and regulation have not
improved outcomes for students, but have imposed burdens on states
and their schools; and

WHEREAS,
Federal control has created administrative bloat and bureaucracy that
diverts resources away from classrooms and students; and

WHEREAS,
States are the drivers of innovation in education, leading effective
education reforms that expand choice and improve outcomes; and

WHEREAS,
Governors, state legislators, and local officials are directly
accountable to parents and taxpayers for their decisions regarding
education, providing clearer responsibility and responsiveness than
unelected federal bureaucrats; and

WHEREAS,
Prioritizing the needs of students and families requires placing
decision-making authority with those closest to the classroom; and

WHEREAS,
Secretary McMahon has initiated significant organizational
restructuring by reducing the Department of Education's workforce
without adverse effects on educational services; now therefore be it

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, affirm our responsibility to lead on education in a manner
consistent with the United States Constitution and the principles of
federalism; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, support efforts to dismantle the United States Department of
Education, returning authority over education back to the states; and
be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, encourage shifting core responsibilities of the federal
Department of Education to other agencies, in both state and federal
governments, that are better suited to execute them; and be it
further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, intend to seek every opportunity, in cooperation with other
federal agencies, to regain fuller control of Ohio's K-12 schools;
and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, intend to collaborate with the Governor's office, the
Department of Education and Workforce, and the Attorney General, in
conjunction with the General Assembly, to establish a task force to
create and publish a comprehensive plan to assume full responsibility
for education programs currently administered by the United States
Department of Education, including, but not limited to, Title I
funds, special education, and civil rights; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, aspire that the comprehensive plan include:

(A)
Statutory changes required to assume administrative control over
federal education programs;

(B)
Recommended waivers, transfers, or block grants to be requested from
the federal government;

(C)
Identification of federal education mandates that the State intends
to decline to administer because the State has determined the
mandates are not statutorily required; and

(D)
One or more pieces of legislation suitable for immediate
introduction; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, hope that the comprehensive plan rely, in part, on the
inventory and review discussed below; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, urge the Department of Education and Workforce to conduct an
inventory of all existing federal education programs and grants
administered by the State, including the funding amounts, statutory
authority, and reporting requirements, and to transmit the inventory
to the General Assembly; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, urge the Attorney General to conduct a review of all state
statutes and regulations that reference or incorporate federal
education statutes or regulations; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, intend to introduce one or more bills to implement the
comprehensive plan; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, encourage the Department of Education and Workforce to
administratively implement recommendations of the comprehensive plan
that do not require statutory changes, to the extent permitted by
law; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That we, the members of the 136th General Assembly of the State of
Ohio, intend to cooperate with other states to pursue joint waiver
requests and coordinated negotiations with the United States
Department of Education to accelerate the prompt and proper return of
education authority to the states; and be it further

RESOLVED,
That the Clerk of the Senate transmit duly authenticated copies of
this resolution to the President of the United States, the United
States Secretary of Education, President Pro Tempore and Secretary of
the United States Senate, the Speaker and Clerk of the United States
House of Representatives, the members of the Ohio Congressional
delegation, and the news media of Ohio.