The Department of Education was created during the Carter Administration. Since then, our scholastic standing as compared to the rest of the world has not improved and in many studies, actually declined. Has it really helped improve education? Before the Dept. of Education, protocol was left up the the state. I grew up and went to school under a state run system and I feel, at 48, that I received a far better education than what our children have while under the Dept. of Education umbrella. It's another federal money pit.