The U.S. Department of Education is transferring more than 100 programs to other federal agencies through interagency agreements as part of the Trump administration’s broader effort to dismantle the department, though full closure would still require congressional approval. Programs spanning K–12 education, higher education, student loans, and school safety are being redistributed to agencies including Labor, Health and Human Services, State, Interior, and Treasury, with existing Education Department staff expected to continue managing them during the transition. While officials say funding will continue uninterrupted, early implementation has produced mixed results, including delays in some states accessing education funds and concerns about administrative complexity, inconsistent oversight, and fragmented program management. Legal uncertainty remains, with limited precedent for using interagency agreements in this way and ongoing lawsuits challenging the moves, while critics across the political spectrum warn the changes could create inefficiencies, strain state and district operations, and lack clear evidence of improved outcomes.
