Department of Education being dismantled, other agencies will absorb its core functions
The sweeping restructuring fulfills a central promise of President Donald Trump’s education agenda: to shut down the department and restore control to states and local communities.
The Trump administration has begun phasing out the U.S. Department of Education according to a statement from the agency, transferring major responsibilities to other federal agencies in a first step toward eliminating the department entirely.
Under the plan, six offices will be reassigned: K-12 and postsecondary education programs will move to the Department of Labor, Indian education to the Department of the Interior, foreign language programs to the State Department, and child care and medical education to Health and Human Services.
The administration is using the Economy Act, which allows agencies to share services, to justify the transfers. Officials briefed lawmakers Tuesday ahead of a formal announcement.
Student loans and special education are not included in this phase, but officials have not ruled out adding them later.
Lindsey Burke, deputy chief of staff and a Heritage Foundation alum, led the briefings, according to Politico.
Earlier this year, the department began shifting billions in education grants to Labor and sent staff to the Treasury Department to assist with student loan collections.
The plan follows Trump’s March executive order to dismantle the department, which conservatives have long argued overreaches into state-controlled education.
Secretary Linda McMahon previously said the recent government shutdown proved the department’s absence would go unnoticed.
“Students kept going to class. Teachers got paid. There were no disruptions,” she said.
The move is expected to face legal challenges, but administration officials remain committed to shifting education control to state and local leaders.
