Key Facts

• The Trump administration announced the shift of special education and civil rights oversight to other federal agencies.
• The Department of Justice will enforce civil rights laws in education and protect student privacy.
• The Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education programs.
• Education Secretary Linda McMahon has negotiated agreements to transfer Education Department duties to other agencies.
• The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, which manages large grants and compliance, will no longer oversee these programs.
• The Office for Civil Rights, responsible for handling discrimination complaints in schools, will move to the Justice Department.
• Education advocates warn that these changes could reduce accountability and harm vulnerable students, including those with disabilities and from minority or low-income backgrounds.
• The union representing Education Department employees says the decision could create confusion and leave vulnerable students without needed services or protections.