Education, research and culture

Executive Order 14280: Reinstating Commonsense School Discipline Policies

President: Donald J. Trump

Directed Education to issue Title VI school-discipline guidance, coordinate with states and report to the President; assigned Defense a military-family school code review.

Status: In effect. Is Executive Order 14280 still in effect? Yes. Executive Order 14280 remains in effect. See Federal Register record.

Books, pencils, a balance and a school-policy document appear in front of a classroom building.
School-discipline policy, illustrated conceptually; not a judgment about an individual student, a court ruling or verified safety results. EO Explained · site-generated editorial illustration · not documentary evidence.

What does Executive Order 14280 do?

EO 14280 directed the Education Secretary, consulting with Justice, to issue Title VI school-discipline guidance within 30 days. It also called for state coordination in 60 days, a Defense school-discipline code in 90 days, and an interagency report to the President in 120 days. Education later issued guidance and opened two investigations; these do not establish that the other requested outputs were completed.

Later primary evidence and correction reviewed September 24, 2026: The signed order sets 30-, 60-, 90- and 120-day directions. Education later issued discipline guidance and opened two investigations. It does not revoke EO 14045, and these sources do not establish completion of the Defense code or interagency report.

Administration position: The Department of Education issued school discipline guidance on August 18, 2026 and opened two Title VI investigations into alleged race-based discipline practices. The guidance states the Department’s interpretation; opening an investigation establishes no violation, and this record does not show that all local discipline policies changed.
SignedApril 23, 2025
Lead officialsEducation Secretary, Attorney General and Defense Secretary
Express timing30-day guidance; 60-day coordination; 90-day Defense code; 120-day report

Before and after

Before the order

Federal school-discipline guidance from 2023 and existing Title VI, disability and state-law requirements framed agency and school practices. The order disputed the earlier guidance’s treatment of race-based disparities.

After the order

Education and Justice were directed to issue Title VI guidance and coordinate with states. Defense was directed to revise its military-family school code; Education was directed to submit an interagency report.

The subsequent Education guidance and two investigation openings document some agency action, without establishing completion of the Defense code or 120-day report.

Who had to do what

Agency / officeActionTiming / position
Education Secretary, consulting JusticeIssue Title VI school-discipline guidance to state and local education agenciesWithin 30 days
Education and JusticeInitiate coordination with governors and state attorneys generalWithin 60 days
Defense SecretaryIssue a revised school-discipline code for military families’ childrenWithin 90 days
Education, with Justice, HHS and DHSSubmit school-discipline report to the PresidentWithin 120 days
Department of EducationIssue later guidance and open two Title VI investigationsAugust 18, 2026

What happened next

EO 14280 signed with four distinct deadlines.

Education announced pupil-discipline guidance and two investigations.

Signed directions and later agency action reconciled; remaining outcomes not established.