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Linda McMahon: “There was no Department of Education up until 1980.”

Featuring: Linda McMahon, Republican | Secretary of the U.S. Department of Education | National

Buckley Institute Speaker Series: The Roadmap for Restoring American Education

Published April 17, 2026 | Video Starts at 19:23

It's not exactly the kind of job interview that you're looking for. But his point was There was no Department of Education up until 1980. And you know what? I bet there are people sitting in this audience, certainly one like me that graduated from high school before then and we managed to graduate without there being a Department of Education. (19:23–19:27)

CLAIM

Asserts that the U.S. Department of Education was established in 1980.

This is an excerpt from a raw transcript. The assertions have not been audited or verified. Tap the video to view the source footage and understand the context.

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Linda McMahon

“Since the Department of Education was established in 1980, we've spent $3 trillion on education to watch our scores continue to go down.”
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“At the highest level, we might get to 38 to 40% proficiency in reading at high school and eighth grade, but most of the average is about 33…”
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“The state of Mississippi that was like next to the last or last in reading proficiency, was one of the first to adopt the science of…”
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“In the state of Tennessee, for every dollar that goes into the classroom, 47 cents is spent on regulatory compliance.”
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“The fastest growing group of millionaires in the country are those that come from our trade skills.”
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“The Department of Education...is a pass through...for money that is appropriated through Congress to come through the Department of…”
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“The NAEP scores, which are our national report card, came out shortly after President Trump became president for the second time.”
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“Some [governors and states] have really stuck with [school choice legislation] and got it done. They have in Texas, they just recently did…”
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“In the recent bill that was passed, the Working Families Tax Cut act and then the Freedom of Education act, there are provisions in there…”
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“It gives the broadest opportunity of national school choice than any program so far.”
Buckley Institute Speaker Series: The Roadmap for Restoring American Education | Uploaded April 17, 2026 | 05:53-06:01
“I've made literacy my number one priority during my tenure as the Secretary of Education.”
Buckley Institute Speaker Series: The Roadmap for Restoring American Education | Uploaded April 17, 2026 | 07:52-07:59
“Mississippi now is about midway of the pack in terms of all the states.”
Buckley Institute Speaker Series: The Roadmap for Restoring American Education | Uploaded April 17, 2026 | 09:11-09:16
“We've had other states adopted [the science of reading]: Louisiana, Florida, Tennessee, Iowa.”
Buckley Institute Speaker Series: The Roadmap for Restoring American Education | Uploaded April 17, 2026 | 09:16-09:22
“The federal government provides formula funding to states and that funding is going to continue.”
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“We just signed the first ever waiver with the governor of Iowa, Governor Reynolds, that combined four grants, four different streams into…”
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“Community colleges...are doing apprenticeships with these schools and there are dual credentials so that students graduating from high…”
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“The goal of this administration relative to federal involvement in education is one, to diminish that role.”
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“Some of it that's formulaically driven goes directly to states and some comes through the Department of Education for grant competitions.”
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“Federal funding does come to universities based on certain criteria and a lot of research money comes to different universities.”
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“The private sector and federal investment of that money is very, very critical.”
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“If universities are not spending this money wisely and for the purpose that they have asked and requested this money for, then there is an…”
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“The goal is really to make sure that universities are giving equal opportunity across their campuses.”
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“I don't think that's the role of the government to help change that kind of culture on each campus.”
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“I'm going to all 50 states [for the History Rocks Tour].”
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“The administration is really making a big deal about the 250th birthday of our country.”
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“Some of the questions are relative to national, but nothing that's partisan at all.”
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“There have been artifacts from the Glenn Beck Museum, but there are no politics involved here.”
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“The principal told me... I don't think the kids in our school know [the words to the Pledge of Allegiance].”
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“The school just opted out and they didn't have to say [the Pledge of Allegiance] anymore.”
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“Some of these assemblies, we've had ROTC groups come in and present colors.”
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“This particular bill that was part of the Working Families Tax Cut act is the first sort of national opportunity for school choice.”
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“An individual could donate to a 501 or a nonprofit scholarship granting organization in their state. There's no cap on how much they can…”
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“The absolute false fact about this is that it takes money away from public schools.”
Buckley Institute Speaker Series: The Roadmap for Restoring American Education | Uploaded April 17, 2026 | 37:32-37:39
“It's a federal program and you can derive a federal tax credit, you can write that check to any state.”
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“It's encouraging to see that there are these programs, you know, through the Perkins grants and through the short term Pell that is also…”
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“You can get Pell grants for programs that aren't taking two years, but can take 18 to 15 weeks to finish and get into the workplace sooner.”
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“I had an opportunity to really start a business, build it from the ground up more in just kind of a helping position to start with. And then…”
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“That's why it's so important, I think, today that we have these programs in universities for reskilling.”
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