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The U.S. Department of Education is shrinking its federal footprint in line with President Donald Trump’s gameplan — in part by partnering with other federal agencies on grant management, technical assistance and other tasks.
Between May 2025 and Feb. 23, 2026, the Education Department announced nine such interagency agreements with four agencies. The agreements detail the duties the other agencies will take on and the Education Department’s remaining responsibilities.
They cover billions of dollars in program responsibilities under several education-related laws, including the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, the Higher Education Act and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.
While past presidential administrations have created interagency agreements to share funding and coordination on specific programs, the partnerships created under the Trump administration are on a much wider scale with the partnering agencies taking on many more education-related duties.
Proponents say the partnerships will benefit students, schools, districts and states by reducing federal bureaucracy — representing a path to Trump’s goal to eventually eliminate the Education Department altogether.
But opponents say the interagency agreements are illegal and will add confusion and instability to vital higher education and K-12 programs.
These are the Education Department’s interagency agreements that have been announced and signed to date.
Interagency agreements at the U.S. Department of Education
Between May 2025 and Feb. 23, 2026, the Education Department signed nine interagency agreements with four other federal agencies.
