Executive Order 13791, signed on April 26, 2017, initiated a systematic federal retreat from education policy by directing the Department of Education to identify federal programs and regulations that exceeded statutory authority or imposed undue burdens on states and schools. The order required Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to conduct a comprehensive review and submit recommendations for eliminating or modifying provisions deemed excessive. This mechanism—a broad audit coupled with executive discretion—proved instrumental in reshaping federal education enforcement without requiring legislative action, allowing the administration to pivot regulatory authority from federal agencies back to state and local control.

The immediate effects materialized through the withdrawal of Obama-era guidance on Title IX sexual assault investigations, bathroom access policies for transgender students, and disciplinary practices. Schools and universities lost federal guidance documents that had established consistent standards for handling sexual harassment complaints and protecting vulnerable student populations. English language learner programs faced particular vulnerability, foreshadowing the later closure of the Office of English Language Acquisition in 2026. Students in under-resourced districts—who relied on federal oversight to ensure equitable treatment—saw protections diminished, while responsibility devolved to school districts with vastly different capacities and political inclinations to maintain those protections.

This order launched what would become a sustained pattern of federal education retrenchment. The 2025 reinstatement of "commonsense school discipline policies" built directly on EO 13791's framework, further rolling back guidance that had emphasized restorative justice and equal discipline enforcement. Subsequent actions targeting accreditation systems and university foreign funding transparency continued this trajectory of reduced federal coordination and increased institutional autonomy. While a 2026 settlement protected library funding from unauthorized cuts, the broader architecture established by EO 13791 remained intact, with states and districts increasingly responsible for setting education standards, protecting student rights, and allocating resources—creating significant variation in educational equity across the country.