DOE moves civil rights to Justice Department and disabilities to HHS
by Lisa Hornung · UPIJune 16 (UPI) -- The Department of Education will shift two of its major departments, civil rights and special education programs, to other government agencies, the department announced Tuesday.
The department said it has made four new interagency agreements "to reduce federal bureaucracy and improve the efficient delivery of federally funded programs and activities to better support students and families."
Special education and rehabilitative services will transfer to the Department of Health and Human Services, and civil rights enforcement, student privacy protection, and training and advisory services will shift to the Department of Justice.
"The Trump Administration has been clear: as we scale back federal micromanagement when it hinders success, we are equally committed to bolstering the efficacy of federal oversight where it is essential," U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement.
"Through our partnership with HHS, we will align federal services with the goal of strengthening academic outcomes and supporting individuals with disabilities so that they can achieve greater independence, key life skills, and meaningful employment," McMahon said. "The Department of Education will also team up with DOJ to ensure stronger, more coordinated civil rights enforcement and robust protections for student privacy. These agreements align federal responsibilities with the agencies best positioned to support them, strengthening the effectiveness and impact of critical services."
Despite the administration's claims that the change would better serve the nation's most vulnerable children, disability rights advocates were alarmed.
"This is another vindictive attempt to undermine public education," said Denise Forte, president and CEO of Ed Trust, a think tank focused on addressing education inequity, NPR reported. "And at this moment, when we know that children with disabilities need more support, not less -- HHS is not the place for that."
This is the latest effort in McMahon's self-described push to "peel back the layers of federal bureaucracy by partnering with agencies that are better suited to manage programs and empowering states and local leaders to oversee the rest."
The Education Department under McMahon has already shifted several of its departments to other agencies as part of the administration's plan to shut down the Department of Education. In March, the administration announced it would move the department to a smaller venue in August.
"Through this partnership, HHS and the Department of Education will cut bureaucratic barriers, better align federal resources, and deliver more effective support for individuals with disabilities and their families," said Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. in a statement. "Together, we will improve education and employment outcomes, uphold the rights of individuals with disabilities, and help every child reach their full potential."
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President Donald Trump speaks to reporters about restoring commercial fishing access to areas of the Pacific during a signing ceremony in the Oval Office of the White House on Thursday. Photo by Jim Lo Scalzo/UPI | License Photo