Keeping Education Accessible and Ending COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates in Schools

Executive Order 14214 of February 14, 2025

Keeping Education Accessible and Ending COVID-19
Vaccine Mandates in Schools

By the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and the laws of the United States of
America, it is hereby ordered:

Section 1. Purpose and Policy. Some school districts
and universities continue to coerce children and young
adults into taking the COVID-19 vaccine by conditioning
their education on it, and others may re-implement such
mandates. Parents and young adults should be empowered
with accurate data regarding the remote risks of
serious illness associated with COVID-19 for children
and young adults, as well as how those risks can be
mitigated through various measures, and left free to
make their own decisions accordingly. Given the
incredibly low risk of serious COVID-19 illness for
children and young adults, threatening to shut them out
of an education is an intolerable infringement on
personal freedom. Such mandates usurp parental
authority and burden students of many faiths.

It is the policy of my Administration that
discretionary Federal funds should not be used to
directly or indirectly support or subsidize an
educational service agency, State educational agency,
local educational agency, elementary school, secondary
school, or institution of higher education that
requires students to have received a COVID-19
vaccination to attend any in-person education program.

Sec. 2. Definitions. For the purposes of this order:

    (a) The term “educational service agency” has the
meaning given in 20 U.S.C. 1401(5).
    (b) The term “elementary school” has the meaning
given in 34 CFR 77.1(c).
    (c) The term “institution of higher education”
has the meaning given in 20 U.S.C. 1001(a).
    (d) The term “local educational agency” has the
meaning given in 34 CFR 77.1(c).
    (e) The term “secondary school” has the meaning
given in 34 CFR 77.1(c).
    (f) The term “State educational agency” has the
meaning given in 34 CFR 77.1(c).

Sec. 3. Ending COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate Coercion. (a)
The Secretary of Education shall as soon as practicable
issue guidelines to elementary schools, local
educational agencies, State educational agencies,
secondary schools, and institutions of higher education
regarding those entities' legal obligations with
respect to parental authority, religious freedom,
disability accommodations, and equal protection under
law, as relevant to coercive COVID-19 school mandates.

    (b) Within 90 days of the date of this order, the
Secretary of Education, in consultation with the
Secretary of Health and Human Services, shall provide
to the President, through the Assistant to the
President for Domestic Policy, a plan to end coercive
COVID-19 school mandates, consistent with applicable
law, and including, as appropriate, any proposed
legislation. Such plan shall also include:

(i) a list of discretionary Federal grants and contracts provided to
elementary schools, local educational agencies, State educational agencies,
secondary schools, and institutions of higher education that are non-
compliant with the guidelines issued pursuant to subsection (a) of this
section; and

(ii) each executive department or agency's process for, to the maximum
extent consistent with applicable law, preventing Federal funds from being
provided to, and rescinding Federal funds from, elementary schools, local
educational agencies, State educational agencies, secondary schools, and
institutions of higher education that are non-compliant with the guidelines
issued pursuant to subsection (a) of this section.

Sec. 4. General Provisions. (a) Nothing in this order
shall be construed to impair or otherwise affect:

(i) the authority granted by law to an executive department or agency, or
the head thereof; or

(ii) the functions of the Director of the Office of Management and Budget
relating to budgetary, administrative, or legislative proposals.

    (b) This order shall be implemented consistent with
applicable law and subject to the availability of
appropriations.
    (c) This order is not intended to, and does not,
create any right or benefit, substantive or procedural,
enforceable at law or in equity by any party against
the United States, its departments, agencies, or
entities, its officers, employees, or agents, or any
other person.

    (Presidential Sig.)

THE WHITE HOUSE,

    February 14, 2025.