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The U.S. Department of Education announced six interagency agreements with four federal agencies, a broad administrative shift aimed at consolidating the management of several federally funded education programs. Department officials said the agreements are intended to reduce bureaucratic layers, streamline operations, and align program administration with agencies that already oversee related activities.
The new partnerships involve the Departments of Labor (DOL), Interior (DOI), Health and Human Services (HHS), and State. According to the Education Department, the agreements are part of an effort to improve delivery of legally required federal programs, reduce administrative burdens for states and grantees, and better coordinate education initiatives with broader federal priorities. The department emphasized that it will retain statutory oversight responsibilities for all programs involved.
President Donald Trump signed an executive order initiating the phased elimination of the U.S. Department of Education, directing federal agencies to transfer programs, staff functions, and regulatory authority to other departments over a multi-year transition. The administration said the move is aimed at reducing federal involvement in classrooms, cutting administrative costs, and shifting education authority back to states and local governments. The order marks the first formal step toward dissolving the department since its creation in 1979.
“The Trump Administration is taking bold action to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “Cutting through layers of red tape in Washington is one essential piece of our final mission. As we partner with these agencies to improve federal programs, we will continue to gather best practices in each state through our 50-state tour, empower local leaders in K-12 education, restore excellence to higher education, and work with Congress to codify these reforms. Together, we will refocus education on students, families, and schools – ensuring federal taxpayer spending is supporting a world-class education system.”
Two agreements with the Labor Department will expand that agency’s role in administering K-12 and postsecondary education grant programs. Under the Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership, DOL will oversee competitions, provide technical assistance, and align federal K-12 programs with existing workforce development initiatives. A second agreement, the Postsecondary Education Partnership, shifts management of most Higher Education Act grant programs to DOL. Education officials said the moves are intended to integrate education and workforce systems, reduce duplication among agencies, and address persistent labor shortages by more closely linking postsecondary training with employment programs.
The Interior Department will assume administration of several Indian Education programs, including those related to elementary and secondary schooling, higher education, career and technical education, and vocational rehabilitation. Federal officials said consolidating these programs under DOI is intended to strengthen coordination with tribes, streamline management, and align Native education initiatives with Interior’s broader responsibilities in tribal affairs.
Two additional agreements with HHS will transfer oversight for foreign medical education accreditation reviews and the Child Care Access Means Parents in School (CCAMPIS) program. HHS will oversee the work of the National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation, which evaluates whether foreign medical schools meet U.S. accreditation standards. The department will also manage child-care grants that support student parents enrolled in higher education, integrating the program with HHS’s existing childcare initiatives.
A sixth agreement with the State Department shifts administration of programs governed by the Fulbright-Hays Act, including grants supporting foreign language study, international research, and overseas education projects. State will assume responsibility for program operations, data collection, and grant management. Federal officials said the shift is intended to consolidate international education efforts within the agency that already manages the larger Fulbright Program and oversees U.S. foreign policy and public diplomacy.
According to the Education Department, the changes are not expected to alter program eligibility for states, institutions, or other entities. Officials said grantees should continue communicating with their current program contacts as transitions proceed and that additional guidance will be issued through established channels.
The department noted that interagency agreements are a longstanding mechanism used across federal agencies to share services, reduce costs, and improve efficiency. Similar agreements have been implemented in both Democratic and Republican administrations, including recent collaborations between Education and Labor on adult education and career and technical education programs. Officials said the new agreements will continue to rely on existing statutory requirements while shifting operational duties to agencies with relevant expertise.
