The Trump administration has announced six new interagency agreements to “break up” the U.S. Department of Education. Here’s what’s being changed.
The following article is a part of University Business’ ongoing coverage of the Department of Education’s fate under President Donald Trump.
New partnerships with the Departments of Labor, Interior, Health and Human Services and State aim to leverage each partner agency to deliver programs that are better suited based on their respective areas of expertise.
For instance, the partnership with the Department of Labor, labeled the Elementary and Secondary Education Partnership, allows the department to take a greater role in administering federal K12 programs, “ensuring these programs are better aligned with workforce and college programs,” according to a press release.
The Department of Labor will begin managing competitions, providing technical assistance and integrating the Education Department’s programs alongside the staff and programs the Labor Department already administers.
The Education Department foresees no disruptions to states receiving Title Formula funds, including those that support low-income students, teachers, academic enrichment and after-school programs.
The remaining five partnerships include:
The Department of Labor: Postsecondary Education Partnership
In addition to elementary and secondary education, the Labor Department will take a greater role in administering most postsecondary education grant programs authorized under the Higher Education Act.
“Our nation is facing an annual labor shortage of over 700,000 skilled jobs,” reads a fact sheet about the partnership. “Building the skilled workforce to power America’s economic resurgence is a priority of the Trump Administration as outlined in the America’s Talent Strategy: Building the Workforce for the Golden Age.”
A handful of programs impacted by this partnership include, but are not limited to:
- TRIO: Upward Bound, Upward Bound Math and Science, Veterans Upward Bound, Talent Search, McNair Scholars Program, Student Support Services Program, Educational Opportunities Centers and Training Program for Federal TRIO Programs.
- Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund
- Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP)
- Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN)
States and grantees should continue engaging with their respective Office of Postsecondary Education and Labor Department programmatic staff, although the administration does not expect any programmatic disruptions.
The Department of the Interior: Indian Education Partnership
The Department of the Interior will serve as the key point of contact for Tribes and Native students and will administer Indian Education programs relating to elementary and secondary education, higher education, career and technical education and vocational rehabilitation.
“Today is just the beginning of a brighter future where Native students and their communities are empowered with the tools, opportunities and support they need to thrive for generations to come,” said Secretary of the Interior Doug Burgum.
Health and Human Services: Foreign Medical Accreditation Partnership
Through this partnership, the Health and Human Services will evaluate whether the standards of accreditation for foreign medical schools are comparable to standards in the United States. Standards must be similar enough for American students enrolled in foreign medical schools to receive financial support.
The Education Department argues that a coordinated approach to accreditation is needed, given that 25% of U.S. physicians are graduates of foreign medical schools, according to the department.
Health and Human Services: Child Care Access Means Parents in School Partnership
Improvements will be made to on-campus child care support for parents enrolled in college. The partnership aims to increase efficiency and add coherent guidelines to the execution of the Child Care Access Means Parents in School program.
The program is currently managed by the Education Department’s Office of Postsecondary Education.
“The Trump Administration is streamlining unnecessary bureaucracy and cutting red tape to allow us to serve more student-parents across college campuses,” said Alex J. Adams, Assistant Secretary for the Administration for Children and Families.
Department of State: International Education and Foreign Language Studies Partnership
The partnership highlights plans to improve programs administered under the Fulbright-Hays grant. While the Department of State already administers the program, a partnership will help streamline international education program funding and data collection measures, according to the Education Department.
“Shifting the administration of these programs to the Department of State will help advance President Trump’s agenda,” said Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy Sarah Rogers. “With its unmatched global reach and deep public diplomacy expertise, the State Department will strengthen and streamline these programs while equipping American students and professionals with skills that are critical to our national interests.”
Read more about the partnerships here.
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