In previous Legal Updates, we reviewed the steps taken by the Trump Administration toward dismantling the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), including the March 11, 2025 mass layoffs at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the March 20, 2025 Executive Order directing the Education Secretary to facilitate the closure of the DOE. While the various lawsuits challenging the constitutionality of the Executive Order and reduction-in-force remain pending, the Trump Administration is moving forward with its plans to dismantle the DOE.
On November 18, 2025, the Department of Education published a press release titled “U.S. Department of Education Announces Six New Agency Partnerships to Break Up Federal Bureaucracy: New Agreements Signed with Departments of Labor, Interior, Health and Human Services, and State.” The announcement includes six new interagency agreements (IAAs) with four federal agencies “to break up the federal education bureaucracy” and shift specified DoE programs and functions to those four federal agencies.
The following is a brief overview of the six IAAs entered into between the DOE and other federal agencies. Fact sheets on each partnership can be accessed through the hyperlinks in the press release.
- Department of Labor (DOL): Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership.
This partnership between the DOL and DOE is reportedly designed to improve alignment between education outcomes and workforce needs. The DOL will take on a greater role in administering select federal K-12 programs, including identified Parts of Title I-IV of the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).
The Fact Sheet on the partnership confirms that “States will continue receiving all title formula funds, including those that support low-income students, teachers, academic enrichment, and after-school programs. States will now receive those funds from DOL.”
- Department of Labor (DOL): Postsecondary Education Partnership.
The DOL will take on a greater role in administering most postsecondary education grant programs authorized under the Higher Education Act.
- Department of the Interior (DOI): Indian Education Partnership.
DOI will take on a greater role in administering Indian Education programs relating to elementary and secondary education, higher education, career and technical education, and vocational rehabilitation, identifying the agency as the key point of contact for Tribes and Native students.
- Health and Human Services (HHS): Foreign Medical Accreditation Partnership.
HHS will oversee the work of the affiliated National Committee on Foreign Medical Education and Accreditation (NCFMEA).
- Health and Human Services: Child Care Access Means Parents in School Partnership.
HHS will manage existing competitions, provide technical assistance, and integrate ED’s CCAMPIS program.
- Department of State: International Education and Foreign Language Studies Partnership.
The Department of State already administers the Fulbright Program. This partnership is reportedly designed to streamline international education program funding and data collection measures, consolidate program management, and advance national security interests.
We will continue to monitor this situation and provide updates.
