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 hurdles, raising questions about the feasibility of broader reforms. Early efforts to reorganize federal oversight of education programs have encountered resistance, potentially weakening momentum for more sweeping changes. Critics argue the setbacks could delay or derail plans to reshape the agency’s role in K-12 and higher education funding. The outcome may hinge on whether officials can overcome bureaucratic and political obstacles in the coming months.

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 ...