Trump Transfers Certain Powers of the Department of Education to Other Entities
· Telemundo McAllen (KTLM)
President Donald Trump's administration is further dismantling the Department of Education by shifting oversight of special education and civil rights to other agencies. The Department of Justice will handle civil rights in education, while the Department of Health and Human Services will oversee special education. The Trump administration made the announcement on Tuesday. The Department of Justice will also take on the task of protecting student privacy and will provide schools with some training and counseling assistance. Trump campaigned with a promise to close the Department of Education, vowing to 'return education to the states, where it belongs.' While only Congress can close the department, Education Secretary Linda McMahon, a billionaire and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, has entered into agreements with other federal agencies to take on much of her department's work. The Department of Education has already transferred some of its programs through 10 previous internal agreements, but the agencies included in Tuesday's announcement—the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services and the Office for Civil Rights—were among the most closely watched. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services administers billions of dollars in grants and oversees states' compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. The Office for Civil Rights investigates complaints of discrimination in schools and universities across the country. Rachel Gittleman, president of the union representing department employees, criticized the decision, stating it will create chaos for families, students, and schools. 'This will leave our most vulnerable students and families, who have been excluded from our education system, without the services they need and without protection when facing discrimination,' Gittleman said in a statement. This story was translated from English by an AP editor with the help of a generative artificial intelligence tool. A Telemundo Digital editor reviewed the translation.
AI summary · Source: Telemundo McAllen (KTLM) →
