President Donald Trump is hell-bent on tearing down the U.S. Department of Education. The Trump administration has taken new steps toward dismantling the U.S. Department of Education by reassigning many of its responsibilities to other federal agencies.
On Tuesday, the education department announced a new agreement with six agencies – including the departments of labor, interior, health and human services, and state – to break up what it described as the “federal education bureaucracy.”
Welcoming the latest steps, the education secretary Linda McMahon said that cutting through layers of red tape in Washington was one essential piece of their final mission. She went on to add that together they would refocus education on students, families, and schools – ensuring federal taxpayer spending was supporting a world-class education system.
READ: US furloughs, Trump policies spur Indian researchers’ return; New scheme announced (
According to the education department, the latest steps “move closer to fulfilling the president’s promise to return education to the states.”
It added: “By partnering with agencies that are best positioned to deliver results for students and taxpayers, these [interagency agreements] will streamline federal education activities on the legally required programs, reduce administrative burdens, and refocus programs and activities to better serve students and grantees.”
Democratic lawmakers had some choice words when it came to the dismantling of the education department with Brian Fitzpatrick, a Pennsylvania representative, saying in a statement: “For millions of families, particularly those raising children with disabilities or living in low-income communities, the department’s core offices are not discretionary functions. They are foundational. They safeguard civil rights, expand opportunity, and ensure that every child, in every community, has the chance to learn, grow, and succeed on equal footing.
READ: Trump to fulfill campaign promise by shutting down Department of Education (
“Altering them without transparency or congressional oversight would pose real risks to the very students they were created to protect. I will not allow it – and I urge all of my colleagues to stand with me,” added Fitzpatrick.
The ongoing restructuring also raises important questions about accountability and transparency. Ensuring that funding, programs, and protections continue uninterrupted will be critical during the transition.
As the process unfolds, monitoring its real-world impact on students, particularly those in underserved communities, will determine whether the reforms achieve their intended goals or exacerbate existing inequities. The situation serves as a reminder that education policy reforms are not just administrative decisions but have lasting implications for millions of families and the nation’s future workforce.