Education Department Losing Two Key Divisions

The Education Department continues to shrink in President Trump's second term, as he promised it would. The White House is moving two of the department's most important responsibilities—special education and the enforcement of civil rights in schools—to other federal agencies, reports NPR. Special ed will move to Health and Human Services, and civil rights will move to the Justice Department.

Trump ran on a campaign promise to dismantle the department and "return education to the states," per the Washington Post. While the president can't shutter the department without congressional authority, Education Secretary Linda McMahon has overseen steep staff cuts and previous program transfers, notes Education Week. Disability rights activists strongly oppose the move to take special education out of the purview of the Education Department, fearing it will result in weakened oversight.

"This is another vindictive attempt to undermine public education," says Denise Forte of the think tank Ed Trust. "And at this moment, when we know that children with disabilities need more support, not less—HHS is not the place for that." In a letter explaining the moves, the Education Department made the case that they will result in better efficiency. "We will scale back micromanagement where it hinders success, but the Department is committed to bolstering efficacy of federal oversight where it is essential," wrote Trump appointees Kim Richey and Kelly Rogers.