March 21, 2025: Trump orders a plan to dismantle the Education Department and Illinois lawmakers agree on school cell phone ban

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has signed an executive order calling for the dismantling of the Education Department. The Republican president announced his plan Thursday. Trump has derided the Education Department as wasteful and polluted by liberal ideology. However, completing its dismantling is most likely impossible without an act of Congress, which created the department in 1979. And the White House says the department would not close completely right now. It is to retain certain critical functions, like managing federal student loans and Pell grants.

CHICAGO (WTTW) - During his budget address last month, Pritzker committed to requiring Illinois schools to ban cellphones during classroom instruction. Illinois legislators are answering Pritzker’s call, with Republicans and Democrats on the Senate education committee Tuesday voting for a measure that was written in coordination with the governor’s office.

Guests:

Linda Kenyon
Illinois Public Media Washington Reporter

Amanda Vinicky 
Correspondent & Week in Review Host, Chicago Tonight, WTTW News