WASHINGTON (AP) 鈥� President Donald Trump鈥檚 administration is further , moving oversight of special education and civil rights to other agencies.
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. The Trump administration made the announcement on Tuesday.
The Department of Justice also will take over work protecting student privacy and will provide some training and advisory help to schools.
Trump, a Republican, campaigned on shutting down the Education Department, saying he would 鈥渕ove education back to the states where it belongs.鈥� While only Congress can close the department, , Linda McMahon, a billionaire and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, has formed agreements with other federal agencies to handle much of her department鈥檚 work.
The Education Department already has offloaded some of its programs through 10 , but the agencies involved in Tuesday鈥檚 announcement — the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights — were among the most closely watched.
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services manages billions of dollars in grants and oversees state compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Office for Civil Rights investigates complaints of discrimination at the nation鈥檚 schools and universities.
Rachel Gittleman, president of the union that represents department employees, said the decision would create chaos for families, students and schools.
鈥淭his will leave our most vulnerable students and families who have been shut out of our education system without the services they need and without protection when they face discrimination,鈥� Gittleman said in written a statement.
___
The Associated Press鈥� education coverage receives financial support from multiple private foundations. The AP is solely responsible for all content. Find the AP鈥檚 for working with philanthropies, of supporters and funded coverage areas at AP.org.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
