The Education Department gave another agency power to distribute its money. It hasn't gone well.

A controversial push to restructure the Education Department under the Trump administration has faced unexpected setbacks, raising questions about the viability of broader reforms. Initial efforts to reorganize federal education programs have encountered resistance and operational hurdles, potentially weakening the administration’s more sweeping plans to reshape the agency. Critics argue the missteps could delay or dilute key changes, while supporters maintain the experiment remains critical to long-term policy goals. The outcome may hinge on whether the administration can overcome early challenges and sustain momentum for deeper restructuring.

The stumbles of an early Trump administration experiment to carve up the Education Department risks undercutting the president’s more dramatic demolition plan for the agency. The Labor Department ...