Trump Administration Continues Dismantling Education Department

Outsourcing more responsibilities to other federal agencies as part of ongoing effort to wind down the 46-year-old department

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The Trump administration has taken additional steps to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, announcing two new interagency agreements that will transfer more of the department's responsibilities to the State Department and the Department of Health and Human Services. This is part of an ongoing effort by the administration to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states.

Why it matters

The moves to outsource Education Department functions to other agencies have faced criticism from federal employee unions and Democratic lawmakers, who argue the administration is unlawfully dismantling the department and jeopardizing resources and support that students and families are entitled to by law.

The details

Under the new agreements, the Education Department will partner with the State Department on foreign gift and contract reporting, and with HHS on family engagement and school support programs. This comes after the department signed seven other interagency agreements in 2025 as part of an effort to dismantle itself, as directed by a 2025 executive order from President Trump.

  • In March 2025, President Trump signed an executive order directing the Education Secretary to 'take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure' of the Education Department.
  • In July 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily greenlit mass layoffs and a plan to dramatically downsize the Education Department.

The players

Linda McMahon

The current U.S. Secretary of Education, who said the new partnerships represent 'a practical step toward greater efficiency, stronger coordination, and meaningful improvement' as the administration continues to 'break up the federal education bureaucracy.'

Rachel Gittleman

The president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, which represents Education Department workers, who criticized the additional interagency agreements as 'unlawfully dismantling the Education Department.'

Patty Murray

The top Democrat on the Senate Appropriations Committee, who lambasted the announcement, saying the 'illegal agreements' are 'jeopardizing resources and support that students and families count on and are entitled to under the law.'

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What they’re saying

“As we continue to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states, our new partnerships with the State Department and HHS represent a practical step toward greater efficiency, stronger coordination, and meaningful improvement.”

— Linda McMahon, U.S. Secretary of Education (arkansasadvocate.com)

“These illegal agreements aren't just creating pointless new bureaucracy that burdens our already-overworked teachers and schools. They are actively jeopardizing resources and support that students and families count on and are entitled to under the law.”

— Patty Murray, U.S. Senator, Top Democrat on Senate Appropriations Committee (arkansasadvocate.com)

“McMahon is unlawfully dismantling the Education Department by moving programs and offices to other federal agencies despite a clear warning from Congress that she lacks the authority to do so.”

— Rachel Gittleman, President, American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 (arkansasadvocate.com)

What’s next

Congress has directed the Education Department and the agencies involved in the interagency agreements to provide biweekly briefings on the implementation of the transfers, suggesting lawmakers will closely monitor the administration's actions.

The takeaway

The Trump administration's continued efforts to dismantle the Education Department through outsourcing and interagency agreements have faced strong pushback from federal employee unions and Democratic lawmakers, who argue the moves are unlawful and jeopardize critical resources and support for students and families.