President Trump campaigned on closing the Department of Education and handing schools back to the states. His administration is now delivering on that promise, one office at a time.
On Tuesday, the White House announced another significant action that shifts key responsibilities from the Department of Education to other federal agencies. Washington is no longer just talking about shrinking the agency—it has begun implementing cuts in earnest.
The Associated Press described the core transfer: The Department of Justice will take on enforcement of civil rights in education, while the Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education. Special education oversight moves to Health and Human Services. Civil-rights enforcement in education moves to the Justice Department.
With these transfers, AP reported that the vast majority of Education Department functions have now been assigned to other agencies. This outcome aligns with decades of conservative goals: reducing federal bureaucracy while keeping programs within existing structures.
The program details reveal why this shift is substantial. According to ABC News, the Offices of Special Education Programming (OSEP) and Rehabilitative Services Administration (RSA) will transfer to HHS, affecting millions of students and families under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
Critics warn moving these programs could lead to chaos, but supporters argue that the money and legal protections remain intact with the programs. The administration’s plan follows a strategy outlined last year. The U.S. Department of Education previously described its mission as taking “bold action to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states.”
This Tuesday’s move fits seamlessly into that framework. Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s department continues shedding functions while work shifts elsewhere. While critics on the left have labeled the moves reckless, and unions have raised concerns, President Trump had pledged he would close the Department of Education and send schools back to the states—making this another step in turning that promise into policy.