Trump takes special education, civil rights oversight away from Education Department

WASHINGTON - The Trump administration on Tuesday announced that special education and civil rights oversight would no longer be helmed by the Department of Education.

Instead, the Department of Justice (DOJ) will now handle civil rights enforcement and student privacy protection while the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) takes over special education initiatives for students with disabilities.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon said diverting responsibilities to HHS will help students with disabilities “achieve greater independence, key life skills, and meaningful employment” while other tasks assigned to the DOJ will “ensure stronger, more coordinated civil rights enforcement and robust protections for student privacy.”

The shift also follows President Trump’s campaign promise to dismantle the Department of Education in an effort to decrease federal control over schools and return authority to states.

The president signed an executive order earlier this year, where he directed 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.

However, the department’s official closure would require an act of Congress; McMahon has helmed efforts to reduce the size of staff and close 7 of their 12 regional offices.

In March, she laid off 1,315 staffers in a reduction in force measure that was taken after hundreds of others were already put on leave or took buyout options. Some were called back to work but most did not return.

DOJ has faced a similar downsize with 75 percent of attorneys from the Civil Rights Division departing, according to Justice Connection.

Critics have raised concern with the reshuffle at the Education Department, alleging underserved students will face challenges.

Still, officials at the Department of Education say that the new oversight efforts announced on Tuesday are “designed to reduce federal bureaucracy and improve the efficient delivery of federally funded programs and activities to better support students and families.” (Source: The Hill)