The U.S. Department of Education announced this week a reorganization that will transfer management of billions of dollars in federal education programs to four other federal agencies. This is the “major step” toward dismantling the department.

While Secretary of Education Linda McMahon framed the November 18 announcement as an effort to “cut through layers of red tape” and streamline bureaucracy, education experts, civil rights advocates, and school administrators warn that the restructuring could create significant disruptions for students, particularly those from low-income families and underserved communities. This announcement comes months after President Trump signed an executive order in March calling for the dismantling of the Department of Education. 

Under six new interagency agreements, the Department of Education will shift core functions to the Departments of Labor, Interior, Health and Human Services, and State. The transfers include:​

To the Department of Labor: The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, which manages approximately $28 billion in grant funding including the critical Title I program serving low-income schools, will be co-managed by Labor. The department will also assume oversight of Office of Postsecondary Education programs worth approximately $3.1 billion, including TRIO programs, GEAR UP, and the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education.​

To the Department of the Interior: Native American education programs for elementary, secondary, higher education, career and technical education, and vocational rehabilitation will be administered by Interior.​

To Health and Human Services: The Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program supporting on-campus childcare for college students and foreign medical accreditation programs will transfer to HHS.​

To the Department of State: International education and foreign language studies programs, including Fulbright-Hays grants, will move to State.

The announced transfers do not currently include special education, civil rights enforcement, or student financial aid programs like Pell Grants, though Education Department officials indicated they are continuing to explore options for those programs.

The restructuring raises substantial concerns about how the changes will affect students who depend on federal education programs, particularly the most vulnerable populations.

Under the agreements, the Department of Education technically retains responsibility for the programs, while other agencies handle day-to-day operations. This arrangement appears designed to navigate federal laws that require certain education operations to remain within the Education Department.