WASHINGTON – While President Donald Trump's longtime vow to break up the federal Education Department may sound straightforward, his attempts to follow through have been hampered by big obstacles, including court challenges, congressional opposition and even some of his own signature legislation.
This week, he got much closer to fulfilling his promise.
On Tuesday, Nov. 18, his administration took one of its biggest steps yet to diminish the agency's influence. Officials announced six agreements with four other federal agencies – including the Departments of Labor, State, Interior and Health and Human Services – to outsource key education programs within other sectors of the government.
Read more: Education Department braces for further dismantling
In a meeting with staffers Tuesday afternoon, Education Secretary Linda McMahon described the changes as a piecemeal way to move toward the Trump administration's ultimate goal of urging Congress to eliminate her department wholesale. There isn't enough support at this time on Capitol Hill to do that, but McMahon said she was committed to assessing how the reorganization works.
