Trump further guts Education Dept. by shifting oversight of special ed, civil rights

Education Secretary Linda McMahon is at the center of the Trump administration's work to dismantle the agency she runs, the U.S. Department of Education. Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty Images hide caption

Two of the U.S. Department of Education's biggest responsibilities will shift to other federal agencies: safeguarding student civil rights and administering programs for students with disabilities.

The Trump administration said Tuesday it will move much of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). OSERS manages programs that support students with disabilities, offering guidance and oversight to ensure states follow the landmark Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a law that guarantees disabled students access to an equitable public education.

The administration announced it would also move much of the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ). OCR's staff of civil rights lawyers are tasked with protecting students in K-12 schools and universities from discrimination based on disability, gender, race and national origin. OCR has been in tumult for months , targeted repeatedly by the Trump administration for staff cuts, then reversals of those cuts .

The moves to HHS and DOJ would further dismantle an agency that President Donald Trump has vowed to close, and it would leave the Education Department with a shrinking number of responsibilities .

In a press release, Education Secretary Linda McMahon said of shifting special education programs: "Through our partnership with HHS, we will align federal services with the goal of strengthening academic outcomes and supporting individuals with disabilities so that they can achieve greater independence, key life skills, and meaningful employment."

And of moving civil rights enforcement, McMahon said the partnership between OCR and the Justice Department would "ensure stronger, more coordinated civil rights enforcement and robust protections for student privacy."

The Trump administration announced the moves as "partnerships" between the Education Department, HHS and the Justice Department, though, in a call with reporters, senior department officials who briefed reporters on the condition of anonymity were vague on how these new arrangements would affect current staff. With some previous interagency agreements, Education Department staff have simply been moved, along with their responsibilities, from one physical office to another.