The Education Department is facing significant challenges in transferring programs to other federal agencies, according to internal documents. This situation highlights potential hurdles as the Trump administration seeks to eliminate the department entirely. The process to offload core programs to agencies, such as the Labor Department, has raised logistical concerns.
Concerns Over Program Transfers
Documents, revealed by Government Executive, show that Education struggled with its trial initiative to transfer a smaller office earlier this year. The department noted that the upcoming transfers could prove even more complex. While previous transfers have been successful, such as the Office of Career, Technical, and Adult Education (OCTAE) moving to Labor, the scope of further transfers will present more difficulties.
Future Transfers to Various Agencies
This week, the Education Department announced plans for interagency agreements. Programs are set to be transferred to multiple agencies, including:
- Department of Health and Human Services
- Department of Interior
- Department of State
The Education Department’s report noted that larger programs, such as those related to Elementary and Secondary Education and Postsecondary Education, will be harder to migrate effectively. Transitioning such programs will be “more opaque” since they will involve only parts of programs rather than entire ones.
Employee Reactions to the Transition
Employees within the Education Department have expressed anxiety regarding the transfer process. Some employees reported that they received little information during meetings regarding logistics and timelines. This has led to feelings of uncertainty and a perception that the administration is unprepared.
Support for Employees
The Education Department has emphasized the importance of staff support during this transition. The department’s report suggested that addressing employee concerns, such as ensuring parking at new work locations, could help ease the process. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has portrayed these efforts as a means to streamline education processes by giving more control back to states.
Concerns About Oversight and Management
However, there are reservations about the effectiveness of the transition. An employee indicated that Labor’s grant management systems lack the functionality of those established by Education. This shift might compromise oversight capabilities for Education’s grant recipients, raising concerns about managing funding effectively.
The transition to Labor will initially only include new grant awards, complicating access for employees to both the Education Department and their new agency. Education has called for immediate work to rebuild grant systems at incoming agencies to streamline operations.
Challenges and Regulatory Issues
The Education Department’s report mentioned that earlier transitions were aided by preexisting relationships between agencies. Future efforts may face challenges due to less defined connections between the political staff of the involved agencies. Additionally, the department has not yet clarified its authority for these changes, stating that finding unobligated funds to support the transfer is critical before proceeding.
A lack of timely action nearly resulted in complications during the previous OCTAE transition, which could have disrupted funding streams. This suggests a need for careful planning and execution in future transfers to prevent potential issues.
