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 logistical hurdles, complicating plans for a more sweeping overhaul. Critics argue the missteps could weaken the administration’s ability to deliver on its promises to streamline education policy, while supporters maintain the challenges are part of a necessary process. The outcome may hinge on whether officials can address the practical obstacles while advancing their long-term vision for the department.

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 ...