Plans to Shut Down Education Department Move Forward
Taking a significant step forward in its effort to shutter the Department of Education, the Trump Administration announced that the agency will be transferring a substantial portion of its programs or activities to other federal agencies. Although a number of postsecondary education programs will be transferred, the core student financial aid programs will remain within the Department for the time being.
In total, the Department signed six interagency agreements (IAAs) with four other federal agencies that will allow those agencies to administer the transferred programs or activities – which will remain fully funded – with oversight from the Department. These IAAs include the following agencies and programs:
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An IAA with the Department of Labor (DOL) to administer selected programs authorized under the Higher Education Act;
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In general, the programs subject to the agreement include the institutional grant programs currently administered by the Office for Postsecondary Education, such as TRIO, GEAR UP, FIPSE, and Title III grants for strengthening institutions and HBCUs.
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An IAA with DOL to administer k-12 programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act;
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An IAA with the Department of the Interior to administer programs serving Native Americans, including K-12, postsecondary, disability, and career and technical education programs;
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An IAA with the Department of State to administer international education and foreign language programs;
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An IAA with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to examine whether the standards of accreditation for foreign medical schools are comparable with the standards for medical schools in the U.S.; and
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An IAA with HHS to administer the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program.
The latest action by the Department marks another step in the Trump Administration’s plan to eliminate the agency. In July, the Department signed an IAA with the DOL for the agency to administer career, technical, and adult education programs.
For more information, please contact:
Jody Feder