WASHINGTON, March 20 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Donald Trump on Thursday signed an executive order to formally begin the process of dismantling the Education Department, saying that his administration is returning education back to the states.

Beyond the "core necessities, my administration will take all lawful steps to shut down the department," Trump said in a speech at the White House.

"We're going to shut it down and shut it down as quickly as possible," Trump said.

Noting that the Education Department is "doing us no good" -- citing low proficiency in reading and math among students in U.S. elementary, middle and high schools -- Trump said his administration is returning education to the states.

The U.S. president noted that the department's functions such as Pell Grants, Title I, and funding resources for children with disabilities and special needs, will be "fully preserved" and be "redistributed to various other agencies and departments."

Pell Grants are a form of federal financial aid that helps low-income undergraduate students pay for college. Title I provides federal funding to school districts and schools that serve a high percentage of students from low-income families, focusing on improving educational opportunities for disadvantaged students. Enditem

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