Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to Oversee U.S. Disability Education After Department Shift

The Trump administration announced that two key functions of the U.S. Department of Education – disability‑education oversight and the Office for Civil Rights – will be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Department of Justice. The move places HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in charge of the nation’s disability‑education system. Critics say the shift replaces school‑specific expertise with agencies not designed for those roles, warning it could push a medical model of disability. Organizations such as The Arc, the National Down Syndrome Congress, and the Autistic Self‑Advocacy Network voiced concerns about Kennedy’s past statements on autism and questioned his suitability to oversee education for students with disabilities.