politics
Trump Administration Shifts Special Education and Civil Rights Oversight From Education Department
The Trump administration is moving oversight of special education programs and civil rights enforcement out of the Education Department to the departments of Health and Human Services and Justice. The transfers mark a further step in the president's effort to close the department and return education authority to states.
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The Trump administration is transferring oversight of special education services and civil rights enforcement from the Education Department to other federal agencies.
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services will move to the Department of Health and Human Services. Civil rights enforcement and student privacy protection responsibilities will shift to the Department of Justice. Kim Richey, assistant secretary for civil rights, and Kim Rogers, acting assistant secretary for special education and rehabilitative services, signed a letter describing the changes.
" — Kim Richey and Kim Rogers, letter The letter also noted that the Office for Civil Rights employs attorneys who address discrimination in K-12 schools and universities based on disability, gender, race, and national origin. The Department of Justice will provide training and advisory support to schools under the new arrangement.
President Trump signed an executive order earlier this year directing Education Secretary Linda McMahon to take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to states and local communities.
In March, McMahon implemented a reduction in force that eliminated 1,315 positions. Prior to the March layoffs, hundreds of Education Department staff had been placed on leave or accepted buyout offers. Some staff returned after the layoffs, though most did not.
Seventy-five percent of attorneys in the DOJ Civil Rights Division have departed, according to Justice Connection. Department of Education officials stated the transfers aim to reduce federal bureaucracy and improve efficient delivery of federally funded programs.
