Schools Lose Support as Education Office Passes Jobs to Other Agencies

The U. S. Department of Education is moving more of its duties to other federal bodies, a shift that could reshape how schools receive help and funding. Under new deals, the Health and Human Services (HHS) agency will manage certain grant programs that currently provide money for school safety and community projects. Another agreement hands a data portal, which tracks large gifts to universities, over to the State Department. The move is part of a broader plan by the current administration to reduce the size and influence of the Education Department. While the president says Congress holds the power to shut down the department entirely, officials are already dividing its responsibilities among other agencies. The HHS deal does not touch special‑education programs, although the Education Secretary has hinted that these could also be shifted to HHS in the future. However, no agreement yet addresses the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which manages billions in grants for students with disabilities.Last year alone, the department signed several agreements that transferred work to the Labor and Interior Departments, in addition to HHS and State. Those transfers included large funding streams for programs that help low‑income students, such as Title I. Critics argue the changes will confuse schools and hurt students. A union spokesperson said that moving tasks to agencies without educational expertise undermines trust and harms the very students who rely on federal support. A senator from Washington state warned that the new arrangements threaten resources and support that families depend on, potentially creating more bureaucracy rather than streamlining services. Under the latest deals, the State Department will handle data collection and enforcement of a rule that requires colleges to disclose large gifts. The HHS agreement transfers six programs to the Administration for Children and Families, which will oversee grant competitions and technical help. Yet many of these programs face uncertain futures; the administration’s 2026 budget request aims to eliminate funding for five of them. Some grant recipients have already been told their funding will not continue next year, putting projects for academic and after‑school enrichment at risk.