USDOE Enters Into Interagency Agreements That Cause Concern

On November 18, the US Department of Education announced six new agency partnerships that shift core programs and responsibilities away from the USDOE for the stated purpose of "breaking up federal bureaucracy" and returning education to the states. While there is quite a bit of speculation on how these agreements will impact K-12 and higher education, one thing for sure is that administrators need to be proactive if they want to stay true to their mission, values, and goals of serving students.

The multiple interagency agreements transfer key USDOE functions to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Interior and State. Although the USDOE says its staff will maintain statutory and policy oversight, these agreements will likely still challenge K-12 and higher education administrators. To illustrate, one agreement transfers to the DOL several higher education and workforce development programs currently managed by the USDOE's Office of Postsecondary