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Trump Administration Advances Plan to Dismantle U.S. Department of Education
The federal government announced that the Department of Education will be dismantled through a series of executive actions that began in early 2025 and accelerated in 2026.
President Donald Trump and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos signed an executive order to begin eliminating the Department of Education; subsequent actions in February and June 2026 moved special-education and civil-rights oversight to other federal agencies.
The federal government announced that the Department of Education will be dismantled through a series of executive actions that began in early 2025 and accelerated in 2026. The latest steps were taken on June 16, 2026, when the administration transferred oversight of special-education programs and civil-rights enforcement to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and other agencies [2][4]. The changes are being implemented at the national level in Washington, D.C., affecting the Education Department’s headquarters and the agencies receiving the reassigned functions [2][3].
President Donald Trump, former Education Secretary Betsy DeVos, and HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. are the primary officials involved in the reorganization. The moves were executed through executive orders and administrative directives that reallocated program authority, staff, and budgetary resources from the Education Department to HHS and other federal entities [1][2][3]. The Department of Education issued a statement that the transfers “will not impact students, parents or families,” while the White House confirmed the actions as part of a broader effort to reduce federal involvement in education [4].
Timeline of Reorganization Actions
In February 2026, the Trump administration announced a plan to shift additional Education Department programs to other agencies, citing a goal of streamlining federal operations [3]. The announcement detailed the relocation of certain grant-making functions and compliance monitoring responsibilities to agencies such as HHS and the Department of Labor.
On June 16, 2026, the administration issued a second set of directives that moved oversight of the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) out of the Education Department [2][4]. The directives required the transfer of personnel, data systems, and funding streams to HHS, which will assume responsibility for implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and enforcing civil-rights statutes in schools.
Timeline of Reorganization Actions In February 2026, the Trump administration announced a plan to shift additional Education Department programs to other agencies, citing a goal of streamlining federal operations [3].
These actions follow an executive order signed by President Trump and Secretary DeVos in 2025 that formally initiated the department’s dissolution [1]. The order authorized the Secretary of Education to begin “phasing out” departmental functions and to coordinate with other cabinet members on the reassignment of duties.
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Read More →Agency Realignment and Program Transfers
The June 2026 directives specifically assigned the Office of Special Education Programs to HHS, placing it under the supervision of Secretary Kennedy Jr., who has previously been tasked with managing the federal response to school violence [3][4]. HHS will now oversee compliance with IDEA, manage special-education funding, and conduct site visits to schools nationwide.
Civil-rights enforcement, previously handled by the Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights, was transferred to the Department of Justice (DOJ) and HHS under the same set of directives [2]. The DOJ will take over investigations of discrimination based on race, gender, and disability, while HHS will handle health-related civil-rights issues in educational settings.
The reallocation also involved moving several grant programs, including the Title I and Title IV initiatives, to the Department of Labor and the Small Business Administration, respectively. The Department of Education’s budget for fiscal year 2027 reflects a reduction of approximately 70 percent, with remaining funds earmarked for transitional activities and the closure of the agency’s central office [1][3].
Immediate Impact on Students, Parents and Educators
The Education Department’s public statement asserted that the transfers “will not impact students, parents or families” and that services will continue uninterrupted during the transition [4]. However, the relocation of special-education oversight to HHS introduces a new administrative layer for schools that must now comply with health-agency reporting requirements in addition to existing education statutes [2].
Parents of children receiving special-education services have been notified that case management will be handled by HHS regional offices rather than local education agencies [4].
Educators and school administrators are required to submit compliance data to HHS portals beginning in July 2026, a shift that may necessitate staff retraining and adjustments to internal processes [3]. Parents of children receiving special-education services have been notified that case management will be handled by HHS regional offices rather than local education agencies [4].
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Read More →Civil-rights advocates note that the DOJ’s involvement could alter the enforcement timeline for discrimination complaints, as the agency’s case load differs from that of the former Office for Civil Rights [2]. The Department of Education’s dissolution also means the elimination of a centralized federal voice on education policy, potentially affecting coordination with state education departments and the implementation of nationwide initiatives [1].
Key Facts
What: The Trump administration transferred special-education and civil-rights oversight from the U.S. Department of Education to other federal agencies.
When: Actions were announced in February 2026 and executed on June 16, 2026.
Impact: Schools, students, and families must adjust to new reporting structures and oversight bodies, while the Education Department’s functions are being phased out.
Impact: Schools, students, and families must adjust to new reporting structures and oversight bodies, while the Education Department’s functions are being phased out.
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Read More →Sources
- The Plan to Abolish the Education Department—One Year Later – NEA
- Trump ramps up Education Department’s dismantling with changes on special education and civil rights – Federal News Network
- Trump administration expands efforts to dismantle the Education Department – Politico
- Trump admin further dismantles Education Department in latest change – USA Today
