On July 30, 2026, the U.U. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) approved a bipartisan bill that would prohibit the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) from transferring four of its offices to other federal agencies. The legislation, S. 5046, would specifically block the outsourcing of USDE offices that oversee special education, postsecondary education, elementary and secondary education, and Native American education programs.
However, in spite of Senate Democrats’ attempts during the committee markup to include an amendment that would also block the transfer of the USDE’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the revision was voted down 12-11.
Other K-12 bills passed by HELP included S. 4689, the Reading Excellence and Achievement for Development Act, which would make changes to state literacy development grant programs and align the science of reading with federal accountability and investments in research, teacher preparation and evidence-based instruction. Also included was S. 3010, the 21st Century Dyslexia Act, which would amend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to promote early screenings for children with dyslexia.
The bill now awaits a full Senate vote and comes two weeks after the House having introduced 10 bills that would codify some of the USDE transferal moves.
For more from K-12 Dive, click here.