U.S. Education Department Shifts Key Programs to Justice and Health Agencies

The U.S. Department of Education announced it now has 14 interagency agreements with six other federal agencies. The latest agreements, announced on June 16, move civil‑rights, student‑privacy and desegregation functions to the Department of Justice and transfer the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which administers the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, to the Department of Health and Human Services.

These moves are part of Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s “Returning Education to the States” initiative, pursued under the Trump administration’s goal of dismantling the Education Department and giving states greater control over K‑12 policy and funding. Officials say the partnerships will not affect students, parents or families and that existing enforcement and grant programs will continue, with an additional $144 million in special‑education funding slated for fiscal year 2026. Critics, however, argue that splitting education oversight among multiple agencies creates confusion and weakens federal coordination.