Donald Trump on Education 2016 Republican nominee for President; 2000 Reform Primary Challenger for President

Sub-sections under Education:
• Trump University
• Vouchers
• Other issues under Education

Workforce development, job training, & vocational schools

As tax cuts create new jobs, let us invest in workforce development and job training. Let us open great vocational schools so our future workers can learn a craft and realize their full potential. And let us support working families by supporting paid family leave.

I may cut Department of Education

Trump: "I'm not cutting services, but I'm cutting spending. But I may cut Department of Education," Trump says. "I believe Common Core is a very bad thing. I believe that we should be--you know, educating our children from Iowa, from New Hampshire, from South Carolina, from California, from New York. I think that it should be local education."

Clinton initially responded to the question about how to fix the U.S. educational system by praising Common Core. She then said that families today are too "negative" about the current system, a system Clinton described as "the most important non-family enterprise" in the country. After noting what she described as "unfortunate" opposition to Common Core, Hillary Clinton also dismissed the concerns of Common Core opponents by saying they just "do not understand the value" of the controversial top-down curriculum. Source

No federal government profit from student loans

The big problem is the federal government. There is no reason the federal government should profit from student loans. This only makes an already difficult problem worse. The Federal Student Loan Program turned a $41.3 billion profit in 2013.

These student loans are probably one of the only things that the government shouldn't make money from, and yet it does. And do you think this has anything to do with why schools continue to raise their tuition every year? Those loans should be viewed as an investment in America's future.

Dept. of Education runs top-down one-size-fits-all system

I am totally against these programs and the Department of Education. It's a disaster. We cannot continue to fail our children--the very future of this nation.

Cut Department of Education and Common Core

TRUMP: We're going to be cutting tremendous amounts of money and waste and fraud and abuse. But, no, I'm not cutting services, but I am cutting spending.˙But I may cut Department of Education-- Common Core is a very bad thing. I think that it should be local education. If you look at a Jeb Bush and some of these others, they want children to be educated by Washington, D.C. bureaucrats.

We spend more per student than any other nation

• Education spending: "People are tired of spending more money on education than any nation in the world per capita."
• Local control of education: "Education has to be local."
• American education in an international context: "We're 26th in the world. 25 countries are better than us at education. And some of them are like third world countries. But we're becoming a third world country."

Common Core is a disaster

Cut the Department of Education way, way down

Here are some of Trump's views on education:
• Department of Education: "You could cut that way, way, way down." -- South Carolina Tea Party Convention, Myrtle Beach, January 2015
• Common Core curriculum standards: "I am totally against Common Core." -- South Carolina Tea Party Convention, Myrtle Beach, January 2015. "That's a disaster. That's bad. It should be local and all of that." -- Iowa Freedom Summit, Des Moines, Iowa, January 2015
• Infrastructure: "Fixing a country's infrastructure--our bridges, our schools, our airports--that, I can tell you, no one is close to Trump." -- Iowa Freedom Summit, Des Moines, Iowa, January 2015
• Local control: "Education has to be local." -- Announcement speech, New York City, June 16, 2015

Opposes Common Core

Trump bashed Jeb Bush on education, who Trump said was "in favor of common core."

"I thought Romney could do it," Trump, who backed the candidate during the last election, said. "I don't want what happened to Mitt Romney to happen again."

Common Core means Washington tells you what to study

Trump: Well first of all, I think it's going to kill Bush, and I think that education should be local, absolutely. I think that for people in Washington to be setting curriculum and to be setting all sorts of standards for people living in Iowa and other places is ridiculous.

Q: Why is it going to kill Bush?

Trump: Because I think people don't want to have somebody from Washington looking down and saying this is what you're going to be studying.

Q: But do you think he's responsible for that part of it?

Trump: No, but he's responsible for supporting it."

Americans don't know their roots: study your ancestry

I found that I enjoyed learning about Scotland and it has broadened my horizons as well as my interests as a businessman. I am building a golf course in Aberdeen that will be spectacular, and I very much enjoyed my visiting and meeting the people from the culture and country. I also realized I still have a lot to learn, which will no doubt lead me into more interesting ventures as well as adventures.

Comprehensive education instead of limiting subjects

Teach citizenship; stop “dumbing down”

How long do we think the U.S. can survive schools that pretend to teach while our kids pretend to learn? How can a kid hope to build an American Dream when he hasn’t been taught how to spell the word “dream”?

Public education was never meant to only teach the three R’s, history, and science. It was also meant to teach citizenship. At the lower levels it should cover the basics, help students develop study habits, and prepare those who desire higher education for the tough road ahead. It’s a mandate the public schools have delivered on since their inception. Until now.

End “creative spelling,” “estimating,” & “empowerment”

Some educators think being “judgmental” is the worst of all sins. The problem is that life tends to judge-and harshly at that. There’s no room for error when you’re launching the space shuttle. Or mixing the concrete for the foundation of Trump Tower, for that matter. Try giving a number “in the neighborhood of” on your tax returns and you may end up in a place where there’s a very definite number stamped on the back of your shirt.

Trump U: effort to educate the masses in his style

Not long after his new university opened, the real estate market softened, then tanked. Rather than close shop, Trump's university pivoted. Now it would teach people how to make money in a depressed market. "Learn from Donald Trump's handpicked experts how you can profit from the largest real estate liquidation in history," read one Trump University ad.

Sales pressure was intense.

"Find it, flip it, forget about it," instructors told potential students at a free seminar on investing in property with little or no money down.

FactCheck: More than figurehead at Trump U

Our conclusion: Trump was involved in guiding Trump U in the same manner he guides any real estate development project. Trump doesn't do any construction on his buildings: he designs them and oversees implementation. Similarly, he designed a lot of Trump U and oversaw its operations.

One strong piece of evidence is the location of Trump U--at 40 Wall Street. That building is featured in its own chapter in Donald's book "The Art of the Comeback" (1997)--Donald worked for years on that building. Donald located Trump U at the jewel in the crown of the Trump empire--he meant Trump U not as just a money-making venture, but as a showpiece for his name. Trump U may have failed, but Donald Trump intended it to succeed.

Founded Trump University to teach the art of deal-making

I'm deeply and actively involved in Trump University

Another purpose of this book is to introduce you to Trump University, which grew out of my desire to impart the business knowledge I accumulated over the years and to find a practical, convenient way to teach success. Trump University doesn't just bear my name; I'm actively involved in it. I participated in creating the curricula, and my words, ideas, and image have been woven into the courses we provide.

I'm deeply and actively involved in Trump University because I firmly believe in the power of education and its function as an engine of success. I want to help people, and, simply put, the Trump University students want to be successful. I'm on their side.

School choice is civil rights issue of our time

Call them vouchers or scholarships; I call it competition

Trump: "Our public schools are capable of providing a more competitive product than they do today. Look at some of the high school tests from earlier in this century and you'll wonder if they weren't college-level tests. And we've got to bring on the competition -open the schoolhouse doors and let parents choose the best school for their children. Education reformers call this school choice, charter schools, vouchers, even opportunity scholarships. I call it competition--the American way."

Clinton: Does not like voucher programs. While she does support school choice as it exists as a form of public education, Clinton has always been opposed to allowing public funds to be used toward private and religious schools. As a New York Senator, Hillary Clinton voted against voucher programs in the state in 2001.

Disadvantaged students are trapped in failing schools

Hillary Clinton opposes school choice--her policies will force millions of African-American and Hispanic children to remain stuck in failed government schools, leading to higher unemployment and more poverty. My plan will break the government monopoly and make schools compete to provide the best services for our children including every African-American and Hispanic child in this country, every single one of them.

Money follows student to public, private or religious school

If we do this, that would mean $12,000 in school choice funds for every disadvantaged student in America. The money will follow the student to the public, private or religious school that is best for them and their family. In so many ways, you're going to have choice.

My administration will partner with anybody in the inner cities of America willing to run a pilot program--to provide school choice to every child in that community. As your president, I will be the biggest cheerleader for school choice you've ever seen, because I know it can turn things around. Common Core--we're going to end it. We're bringing education local.

Let schools compete: charters, vouchers, and magnets

For two decades I've been urging politicians to open the schoolhouse doors and let parents decide which schools are best for their children. Professional educators look to claim that doing so would be the end of good public schools. Better charter or magnet schools would drain the top kids out of that system, or hurt the morale of those left behind. Suddenly, the excellence that comes from competition is being criticized.

Bring on the competition; tear down the union walls

Our public schools are capable of providing a more competitive product than they do today. Look at some of the high school tests from earlier in this century and you’ll wonder if they weren’t college-level tests. And we’ve got to bring on the competition -open the schoolhouse doors and let parents choose the best school for their children.

Education reformers call this school choice, charter schools, vouchers, even opportunity scholarships. I call it competition-the American way.

School choice will improve public schools

Who’s better off? The kids who use vouchers to go to the school of their choice, or the ones who choose to stay in public school? All of them. That’s the way it works in a competitive system.

Supports vouchers to let parents choose public or private school.

The Christian Coalition Voter Guide inferred whether candidates agree or disagree with the statement, 'Education vouchers that allow parents to choose a public or private school for their children' The Christian Coalition notes, "You can help make sure that voters have the facts BEFORE they cast their votes. We have surveyed candidates in the most competitive congressional races on the issues that are important to conservatives."