The U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday announced four new interagency agreements with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Justice (DOJ).
The partnerships seek to bolster coordination between programs serving individuals with disabilities and to also improve civil rights enforcement in schools.
The agreements represent the newest development in the Trump administration’s restructuring of the Education Department, and move certain responsibilities to agencies with specialized expertise. The agreements follow 10 prior partnerships signed over the past year.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said the actions reflect the administration’s dual approach.
“The Trump Administration has been clear: as we scale back federal micromanagement when it hinders success, we are equally committed to bolstering the efficacy of federal oversight where it is essential,” McMahon said in a statement.
“Through our partnership with HHS, we will align federal services with the goal of strengthening academic outcomes and supporting individuals with disabilities so that they can achieve greater independence, key life skills, and meaningful employment.”
The agreement with HHS ensures the agencies will collaborate to improve early childhood education and employment outcomes for individuals with disabilities.
The partnership attempts to loosen bureaucratic bottlenecks, improve resource coordination, and support states and schools in producing better results for students with disabilities and their families.
The Education Department underscored the federal government’s responsibility to enforce laws providing rights and protections for individuals with disabilities.
“Through this partnership, HHS and the Department of Education will cut bureaucratic barriers, better align federal resources, and deliver more effective support for individuals with disabilities and their families,” HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said.
“Together, we will improve education and employment outcomes, uphold the rights of individuals with disabilities, and help every child reach their full potential.”
The three agreements with the Justice Department encompass civil rights enforcement, student privacy protection, and training and advisory services.
On civil rights, the agencies will work together to enhance the evaluation, investigation, and resolution of complaints, as well as enforce protections against discrimination on the basis of race, sex, or ability.
The Education Department noted enforcement of federal civil rights laws will persist without interruption and that it still holds statutory authorities and functions.
“Every student has an unequivocal right to learn and participate in school activities free from discrimination,” Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said.
Separate partnerships with DOJ address student privacy obligations under federal law and training and advisory services to assist schools in developing and executing desegregation plans.
Fact sheets detailing each partnership are available on the department’s website.