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 significant setbacks, raising questions about the feasibility of broader reforms. Early efforts to reorganize the agency’s oversight of federal student aid programs have encountered resistance and operational hurdles, complicating plans for deeper cuts. Critics argue these missteps could weaken the department’s ability to implement sweeping changes, while supporters maintain the experiment remains critical to long-term efficiency. The outcome may hinge on whether the administration can overcome bureaucratic and political obstacles in its next phase of 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 ...