As reported by K-12 Dive, on June 16, 2026 the U.S. Department of Education (USDE) entered an agreement with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) whereby the HHS will provide administrative services to the USDE in managing and overseeing grants for early intervention and special education. The USDE will manage and lead programs currently under its Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), including coordination of policy documents, technical assistance and stakeholder outreach. HHS will also take charge of annual state IDEA performance determinations.
In all, the USDE now has 14 interagency agreements with six other federal agencies, continuing the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the agency and give states more authority on fiscal and policy decisions. Although the USDE is to retain statutory responsibility for the programs being outsourced, there has been significant pushback against the changes with concerns voiced with regard to the confusion that ensues as core federal education oversight is splintered. For example, programming for special education, elementary and secondary education and civil rights enforcement will now be shared among three federal agencies.
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