Trump Administration Transfers Special Education, Civil Rights Duties as Education Department Downsizing Continues

The Trump administration announced Tuesday that oversight of special education and civil rights enforcement in schools will be transferred to other federal agencies, continuing the administration’s effort to reduce the role of the Department of Education.

Under the new arrangement, the Department of Justice will assume responsibility for enforcing civil rights laws in education, while the Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education programs. The move leaves most of the Education Department’s major functions assigned to other federal agencies.

President Donald Trump campaigned on eliminating the Education Department and returning greater control over education policy to states and local communities. While Congress would have to approve the department’s closure, Education Secretary Linda McMahon has pursued a series of agreements shifting responsibilities elsewhere within the federal government.

McMahon said the latest transfers are intended to place federal responsibilities with agencies better equipped to carry them out.

“The Trump Administration has been clear: as we scale back federal micromanagement when it hinders success, we are equally committed to bolstering the efficacy of federal oversight where it is essential,” McMahon said in a statement.

The Education Department said it previously entered into 10 internal agreements transferring other responsibilities. Tuesday’s announcement involved two of the department’s most prominent offices: the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights.

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services administers billions of dollars in grants and monitors state compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Office for Civil Rights investigates discrimination complaints involving schools and colleges and has undergone significant staffing reductions.

In addition to assuming civil rights enforcement responsibilities, the Justice Department will take over student privacy protection work and provide training and advisory support to schools.

The Education Department said McMahon spent more than six months meeting with families, educators and advocacy groups to discuss concerns surrounding the department’s restructuring and the future of special education programs.