They run the FAFSA student aid application system and manage trillions of dollars of student loans (Pell grants, etc). They provide guidance and funding to state education systems.

Dismantling it will cause chaos in the student loan world. Who now owns the debt? (likely given to friends of Trump to get rich off of) Who approves new debt? (likely private loan firms who charge higher rates and don’t approve high risk loans) Who will manage the existing network of thousands of colleges to help get aid to students? (likely nobody)

Dismantling it also allows Republican states to further implement religious education and scrubbing from education curricula anything that isn’t about straight, white people doing good things.