Trump Administration Shifts Education Functions to DOJ and HHS

The Trump administration announced on June 16, 2026, the transfer of two primary responsibilities from the U.S. Department of Education to other federal agencies. Oversight of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which manages the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, moved to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Simultaneously, the Office for Civil Rights, responsible for student privacy and anti-discrimination enforcement, shifted to the U.S. Department of Justice.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon described these moves as partnerships intended to reduce federal micromanagement and bureaucracy. These transfers follow 10 previous interagency agreements that moved various programs to the departments of Labor, Treasury, State, and Interior as part of a broader effort to return education authority to the states. Because federal law requires certain offices to remain within the Department of Education, the administration is outsourcing day-to-day operations while maintaining a nominal presence to avoid requiring congressional approval.

Critics, including Democratic lawmakers, teachers unions, and disability rights advocates, argue that the restructuring treats educational needs through a medical or legal lens rather than an academic one. Opponents warn the move could create administrative chaos, jeopardize funding, and marginalize vulnerable students. The administration maintains that the Department of Education will retain limited statutory management and leadership roles to comply with federal law.