Polymarket says there’s about an 8% chance Donald Trump The U.S. Department of Education will end the program at the end of this year. The Trump administration is already splitting up some of the Department of Education’s work and moving it to other agencies, and has begun betting on a total shutdown.
The Ministry of Education transfers power to the Ministry of Justice
Shares rose after the Justice Department now has authority to handle civil rights enforcement in education cases, according to an announcement Tuesday from Trumo’s government. The announcement also said the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will take over special education programs and responsibilities.
As part of the reorganization, the Justice Department will also address student privacy protections and provide training and advice to schools, the statement added.
Trump plans to transfer control of education
Trump has long said he wants to close the Department of Education and transfer control of education back to the states. However, only the U.S. Congress, not the president alone, has the authority to fully shut down the Department of Education.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon, the former CEO of WWE, has been working on agreements with other federal agencies to shift departmental responsibilities away from the Education Department, according to the Associated Press. McMahon said in a written statement that the changes are intended to match responsibilities with agencies better able to handle these issues and reduce the federal government’s control over outcomes.
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Prior to this latest move, the government had already established 10 earlier agreements to transfer Department of Education projects to other agencies.
Office of Special Education and Civil Rights Impacted
The two main offices affected are the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services and the Office of Civil Rights, which are currently being reorganized under the plan, according to the Associated Press. The Office of Special Education manages billions of dollars in grants and inspects states for compliance with disability education laws. Office for Civil Rights investigates discrimination complaints at schools, colleges across U.S.
EdTrust, a think tank in Washington, D.C., warned that the changes could weaken accountability and create chaos in education services, the Associated Press reported. EdTrust also said students from disadvantaged groups such as students with disabilities, black students, Latino students, low-income students, multilingual students and rural students are most likely to be affected.
Union warns of chaos at schools
Rachel Gittleman, head of the department’s employee union, said the move could cause confusion at home and in schools and reduce protections for students who face discrimination, The Associated Press reported. She also warned that some students and families may be unable to access vital services they rely on.
Trump isn’t quite done yet Ministry of Educationbut his administration is slowly shifting power to other federal agencies, which is why debate over its future is growing.
