Although the recently passed fiscal year 2026 (FY26) budget for the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) did not ban the outsourcing of certain education programs to other federal agencies, it strongly condemned and discouraged the transfer of key programs out of the USDE. The bicameral and bipartisan statement said that no authorities exist for the USDE “to transfer its fundamental responsibilities under numerous authorizing and appropriations laws” to other federal agencies. It also raised concerns that “fragmenting responsibilities for education programs across multiple agencies will create inefficiencies, result in additional costs to the American taxpayer, and cause delays and administrative challenges in Federal funding reaching States, school districts; and schools.” It also said that there are concerns the interagency agreements will “weaken Federal support to protect the rights of students, children, youth, and families under Federal education laws.”
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