Trump moves oversight of special education and civil rights out of the Education Department

The U.S. Department of Education building is seen in Washington, Dec. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana, File)

2026-06-16T17:15:09Z

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s administration is further dismantling the Department of Education, 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 “move education back to the states where it belongs.” While only Congress can close the department, Trump’s education secretary, Linda McMahon, a billionaire and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, has formed agreements with other federal agencies to handle much of her department’s work.

The Education Department already has offloaded some of its programs through 10 earlier internal agreements, but the agencies involved in Tuesday’s 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’s schools and universities.

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Rachel Gittleman, president of the union that represents department employees, said the decision would create chaos for families, students and schools.

“This 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,” Gittleman said in written a statement.

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ANNIE MA Ma is an Associated Press national writer who covers K-12 education. twitter mailto