Education Dept. plans to move special ed and civil rights out of the agency
The Trump administration is continuing to dismantle the Education Department, shifting oversight of special education and civil rights to other agencies.
Under changes announced Tuesday, the Department of Justice will enforce civil rights in education, protect student privacy, and provide some training and advisory support to schools. The Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education. With these transfers, most Education Department functions have now been reassigned.
Trump campaigned on eliminating the department, saying he would “move education back to the states where it belongs.” While only Congress can close the department, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the billionaire former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, has reached agreements with other federal agencies to take over much of its work.
McMahon said the changes align federal responsibilities with the agencies best equipped to handle them.
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services oversees billions of dollars in grants and monitors state compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Office for Civil Rights, which has been reduced by mass layoffs, investigates discrimination complaints at schools and universities.
The Education Department said McMahon spent more than six months meeting with families, advocates, and educators to better understand concerns about how the department’s dismantling could affect special education.
