The Education Dept. hasn't been dismantled. It's become more inefficient, staff say

Linda McMahon, US education secretary, speaks to members of the media during the second day of the Republican Midterm Convention at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas, US, on Thursday, Sept. 10, 2026. November's midterm elections will hinge in large part on Americans' attitudes toward the cost of living, and the polls show the public giving the president poor marks for his handling of the economy. Photographer: Mark Felix/Bloomberg via Getty Images