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, potentially weakening the administration’s broader agenda to dismantle key education initiatives. Critics argue the missteps could leave vulnerable populations without critical protections, while supporters maintain the changes are necessary for efficiency. The outcome may hinge on whether the administration can overcome bureaucratic hurdles or if the experiment becomes a cautionary tale for future deregulation efforts.

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 ...