() Videos circulating on social media claim President Donald Trump is shortening the school year to six months.
Is there any truth to the statement?
The claim is completely inaccurate. The president cannot dictate the length of the school year; this is determined by individual states.
Outlandish claims across the internet
Videos are appearing on various social media platforms spreading the incorrect assertion. The origin of the rumor remains unclear.
In one TikTok video titled “Donald trump announces a new school system where kids attend school for only 6 months,” user @mr.reallyunbothered starts off the video by saying, “Breaking news, Trump decided kids don’t have to go to school anymore, not as much as they used to.”
The video has been viewed over 130,000 times.
Trump committed to changing education in the US
While not reducing the school year to six months, Trump has promised and made sweeping changes to education policy in the country.
In March, Trump signed an executive order aimed at getting rid of the Department of Education altogether. Although total elimination of the department would necessitate congressional action, the U.S. Supreme Court allowed the administration to lay off hundreds of workers in July.
These changes come as recent studies indicate a stark decline in test scores since the pandemic.
“This year’s National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that 70 percent of 8th graders were below proficient in reading, and 72 percent were below proficient in math,” the executive order said.
The Trump administration has also made efforts to shift policy surrounding diversity, equity and inclusion, higher education and protections for transgender students.
