U.S. Dept. of Education Continues to Shrink with New Interagency Agreements
We applaud Secretary McMahon and her commitment to shrinking the Department of Education, making these programs run more efficiently, and, most importantly, putting students and families first.
A top priority of the Trump administration has been, and continues to be, finding ways to shrink the U.S. Department of Education’s footprint to promote efficiency and continue to honor the federal government’s obligations under the law. In addition to championing parental rights, education freedom, and putting states back in charge of education, Education Secretary Linda McMahon has been finding creative and meaningful ways to achieve these goals.
Secretary McMahon has made tremendous use of her authority under the Economy Act, which authorizes her to enter into agreements with other federal agencies to jointly carry out “projects of common interest.” Once an interagency agreement (IAA) has been signed, the law gives her the authority to transfer appropriated funds to the partner agency. Thus far, the Department of Education has entered into 10 IAAs with the Department of Labor, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of the Interior, Treasury Department, and State Department.
Last week, Secretary McMahon announced that four more IAAs have been signed, bringing the total number of interagency agreements to fourteen. The new agreements signed this week include:
Partnership with HHS on Special Education and Rehabilitative Services: Under this agreement, HHS will support the administration of grants associated with the Individuals with Disabilities Education (IDEA) Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. In addition, HHS will assist in managing certain Special Olympics programs and various federal schools for the deaf and blind.
Partnership with the Department of Justice (DOJ) on Civil Rights Enforcement: The DOJ will assist the Department of Education in evaluating, investigating, and attempting to resolve civil rights complains.
Partnership with the DOJ on Student Privacy Protections: The DOJ will work with the Department of Education to administer the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and investigate and adjudicate alleged violations of student privacy laws.
Partnership with the DOJ on Training and Advisory Services: Under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Secretary of Education is authorized to provide technical assistance to localities that need support desegregating their schools. Under this IAA, the DOJ will help carry out these training programs when requested by a locality.
Crucially, the Department of Education is emphasizing that these partnerships do not affect its obligation to carry out and enforce federal law. Civil rights laws, student privacy laws, and protections for students with disabilities will continue to be enforced as required under federal statute. Each IAA that the Department enters into simply allows them to use the resources and expertise of another federal agency that is better positioned to help administer the program. More importantly, these agreements help to shrink the Department of Education’s footprint and make sure that states, not the federal government, are the ones leading in education policy.
Each of these IAAs represents another meaningful step toward restoring the proper balance in American education, where states lead the way. We applaud Secretary McMahon and her commitment to shrinking the Department of Education, making these programs run more efficiently, and, most importantly, putting students and families first.
State policymakers who want to show their support for the administration’s efforts can do so through ALEC’s model resolution supporting the devolution of power from the Department of Education to the states.