Department of Education shrinks as roles shift to other agencies

Education Secretary Linda McMahon is transferring various roles and responsibilities from the Department of Education to other federal agencies. This move aims to reduce federal influence in education and return more decision-making power to individual states.

McMahon stated that the transfers, facilitated through inter-agency agreements (IAAs) under the Economy Act, are intended to eliminate duplicative work and increase efficiency. While the Department of Education remains legally intact—as only Congress has the authority to abolish it—the strategy serves the administration's broader goal of reducing the federal education bureaucracy in Washington, D.C.

The shift follows parental concerns regarding classroom materials and curriculum, which fueled demands for increased parental rights and educational freedom. The Trump administration has treated these demands as a mandate to shrink the department's footprint.