During his campaign, President-elect Donald Trump repeatedly hit at the role of federal government in education, arguing instead for increased local control of schools. He has also hinted that the Department of Education should be abolished.

"A lot of people believe the Department of Education should just be eliminated. Get rid of it. If we don't eliminate it completely, we certainly need to cut its power and reach," he wrote in his book "Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America."

The ED was created in 1979 through the Department of Education Organization Act passed by Congress. The department's main functions include administering federal assistance to schools and enforcing federal education laws.

It seems Trump does indeed have the constitutional ability to shutter the ED for good, assuming he has the support of Congress.