Particle.news
Download on the App Store
35 ARTICLES
·
last mo.

Trump Moves to Dismantle Education Department, Reassigns Key Functions

Student loans will shift to the Small Business Administration, while special needs and nutrition programs transition to Health and Human Services.

People walk by Old Main on the Penn State University main campus in State College, Pennsylvania on November 9, 2017.
Image
An American flag flutters in the wind next to signage for a United States Social Security Administration office in Burbank, California October 25, 2012.

Overview

  • President Trump signed an executive order initiating the dismantling of the Department of Education, fulfilling a campaign promise to reduce federal bureaucracy.
  • The $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio will be managed by the Small Business Administration, an agency facing a 43% workforce reduction.
  • Programs for special needs students and school nutrition will be transferred to the Department of Health and Human Services under Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
  • Legal experts and advocacy groups argue that Congress must approve the full dissolution of the Education Department, with lawsuits expected to challenge the executive order.
  • Critics warn of significant disruptions to student loan borrowers and special education services, citing concerns over the capacity and expertise of the SBA and HHS.