Education Department Moves Special Ed. and Civil Rights to Other Agencies

The federal government is shifting oversight of the country’s special education programs and school civil rights enforcement from the Department of Education to other agencies, marking a significant restructuring of how these critical protections are administered. The move signals a broader delegation of authority as the department reallocates its regulatory responsibilities, raising questions about potential gaps in accountability and consistency in compliance. With special education and civil rights compliance touching millions of students nationwide, the transition could reshape how schools and districts meet federal requirements. Critics may scrutinize whether the new system maintains the same level of scrutiny and support for vulnerable student populations.

The U.S. Department of Education has begun outsourcing responsibility for overseeing the nation’s sprawling special education system and enforcing civil rights law in schools to other federal agencies ...