Is RFK Jr. about to get the special ed portfolio? Trump admin mulls a handoff Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY October 21, 2025 at 6:24 PM 0 WASHINGTON – The U.S.
- - Is RFK Jr. about to get the special ed portfolio? Trump admin mulls a handoff
Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY October 21, 2025 at 6:24 PM
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WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Education is in the early stages of recruiting another agency to help oversee federal special education programs, a spokeswoman said.
The potential transfer of responsibilities comes after the Education Department laid off nearly everyone in its special education division more than a week ago.
The impending move represents one of the most significant steps yet in President Donald Trump's efforts to decrease the influence of the Education Department. And it creates a slew of new questions for families of students with disabilities about whether significant overhaul at the federal level could impact them.
1 / 15After Trump layoffs, Education Department workers pack up officesA U.S. Department of Education worker acknowledges a crowd of supporters after leaving the Department of Education building on March 28, 2025. President Trump signed an executive order attempting to eliminate the U.S. Education Department on March 20, 2025. Congress would ultimately need to approve a closure of the Education Department, but Trump's workforce reduction will shrink it.
Read more: For this senator, Trump's special ed layoffs are personal amid shutdown showdown
It also emphasizes how recent court rulings and little GOP pushback have emboldened the Trump administration to functionally dismantle the Education Department, despite legal scrutiny of the White House's authority to do so.
Months ago, the administration was temporarily barred from outsourcing the Education Department's career and technical education programs to the federal Department of Labor. The Supreme Court lifted that pause in July while a lawsuit on the merits of the effort continues to play out.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon has publicly suggested that the oversight and administration of billions of dollars in federal funding for special education programs could be "better served" in the Department of Health and Human Services, or HHS.
That agency is run by Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., one of the more polarizing figures in Trump's Cabinet. Kennedy has come under criticism for vaccine skepticism and repeating unfounded claims about the causes of autism.
US President Donald Trump speaks as US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (C), and US Secretary of Education Linda McMahon look on during a MAHA (Make America Healthy Again) Commission Event in the White House in Washington, DC, on May 22, 2025.
In a statement to USA TODAY on Tuesday, Madi Biedermann, the deputy assistant secretary for communications at the Education Department, confirmed the agency is looking to outsource responsibilities related to special education. She did not specifically name any other agencies involved in the endeavor.
"Secretary McMahon has been very clear that her goal is to put herself out of a job by shutting down the Department of Education and returning education to the states," she said. "The Department is exploring additional partnerships with federal agencies to support special education programs without any interruption or impact on students with disabilities, but no agreement has been signed."
Biedermann added that McMahon is "fully committed to protecting the federal funding streams that support our nation's students with disabilities."
Read more: Their kids rely on special education. Trump's cuts have them on edge.
Amid an effort to pressure congressional Democrats into ending the ongoing government shutdown, the White House laid off roughly a fifth of the Education Department's staff starting on Oct. 10. According to government declarations in court documents, the firings included more than 120 employees in the special education division and nearly 140 employees in the Office for Civil Rights, which primarily investigates disability-related complaints in schools.
Read more: Education Department layoffs threaten special ed system, advocates warn
The layoffs, along with thousands of others across the federal workforce, were temporarily paused by a judge last week.
Zachary Schermele is a congressional reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at [email protected]. Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @zachschermele.bsky.social.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump admin considering a change for who runs special education
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