On November 18th, 2025, the Department of Education announced six Interagency Agreements (IAAs) transferring portions of its work to the Department of Labor, the Department of the Interior, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the State Department. These changes are accompanied by an explicit motive, according to the Department’s press release, which is to “break up the federal education bureaucracy, ensure efficient delivery of funded programs, and move closer to fulfilling the President’s promise to return education to the states.” The Department of Education, under Secretary Linda McMahon, has been implementing the Trump Administration's Project 2025 vision to dismantle or significantly reduce federal involvement in education. The use of IAAs is strategic as it allows the department to reassign functions administratively without needing Congressional approval.
These IAAs include moving the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education to the Department of Labor and transferring programs for students with disabilities to the Department of Health and Human Services, among others. Moving these programs removes them from expert supervision and from department-specific resources. These changes also mean that different systems and parts of federal agencies will now oversee grant applications, reporting, compliance, and oversight, depending on the program type. These changes, along with limited access to experts and resources, could create uncertainty, particularly for more vulnerable students or those who rely on programs within these new departments. Also, the desire to remove the Department of Education leaves many students vulnerable, particularly students of color, international students, and students with disabilities. This move toward state-run education increases the likelihood of voucher programs, state-level differentiation in special education, inconsistent state-to-state resources for special education, and further erosion of equity across our systems.
As Christians, scripture calls us to love our neighbor – no matter who our neighbor is. Vulnerable children and families are our neighbors and are created in the image of God. The impact of the slow dismantling of the Department of Education through these 6 IAAs on the most vulnerable is immeasurable and devastating. As the Presbyterian Church (USA), we are committed to the principle of equal educational opportunity for all children in the United States, and this move toward eliminating the Department of Education moves us further away from this social witness priority. Together, we can make the voice of the PC(USA) heard on these issues.
Write Congress today to advocate for the Department of Education. Encourage your mid-council, congregation, and fellow Presbyterians to stay informed about how these IAAs are affecting schools, students, and families in your local community, and to amplify the voices of those negatively impacted by these changes.
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