President Donald Trump stalls on promise to provide incentives to abolish teacher tenure

For years, President Donald Trump and other Republicans have criticized teachers unions, whose procedures protect tenured educators from unjust firings.

During his 2024 campaign, Trump promised he would implement "funding preferences and favorable treatment" for states and school districts that abolish tenure for K-12 teachers. 

Since taking office for a second term, Trump has focused on rolling back diversity, equity and inclusion policies, shrinking the federal role in K-12 education and emphasizing school choice.

PolitiFact contacted the Education Department and the White House for comment but received no reply. 

Trump signed a Jan. 21, 2025, executive order emphasizing merit over "equity" policies, but it largely focused on federal administrative and hiring practices rather than tenure policies. 

In a Jan. 29, 2025, executive order Trump directed Secretary of Education Linda McMahon to prioritize states and school districts for federal grants that enact "education freedom" policies, but didn't specify what those included.

In March 2025, the Education Department froze the Teacher and School Leader Incentive Program, which helped districts provide performance-based financial incentives to teachers and principals. Congress in January maintained the program's funding, effectively reversing the administration's effort.

In an April 30, 2025, analysis, education policy organization Education First found no executive or legislative action to provide incentives to eliminate teacher tenure.

The Education Department released several supplemental priorities throughout 2025 to guide discretionary grant competitions. None that PolitiFact reviewed mention giving preferable treatment to districts that eliminate teacher tenure.

Trump promised to implement funding preferences for states and school districts that abolish tenure for K-12 teachers. So far, he hasn't done that. We rate this promise Stalled.