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

An ambitious push to restructure the Education Department under the Trump administration has faced early setbacks, raising questions about the feasibility of broader reforms. Internal challenges to the proposed reorganization—including resistance from key agencies—could weaken the administration’s broader efforts to reshape federal education policy. Critics argue the delays highlight deeper divisions over how to streamline or dismantle parts of the department, while supporters insist the process remains on track despite early hurdles. The outcome may hinge on whether bureaucratic obstacles can be overcome before more sweeping changes are attempted.

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 ...