This week, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and Department of Labor (DOL) announced a new interagency partnership to coordinate federal education and workforce systems and address the nation’s critical talent shortage. The effort both aligns with President Trump’s workforce development priorities and marks a major milestone in the Trump administration’s ongoing quest to shutter ED.
- On May 21, ED and DOL quietly signed an interagency agreement (IAA), setting the stage for their partnership. The IAA stalled out in court after a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction, citing pending litigation on the constitutionality of ED’s massive reductions in force filed earlier in May. The case was appealed to the Supreme Court, which granted ED’s emergency request to stay the injunction on Monday, allowing the Department to proceed with the layoff of roughly 1,400 employees.
What’s next: Through the IAA, DOL will take on a “greater role” in the administration of ED’s adult education, family literacy, and career and technical education programs funded under the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act (Perkins V) and WIOA Title II. ED is expected to maintain statutory responsibilities, policy authority, and oversight of the impacted programs.
What they’re saying:
- Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said, “Support from the Department of Labor in administering the Department of Education’s workforce programs is a commonsense step in streamlining these programs to better serve students, families, and educators.” These sentiments were echoed by Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer, who emphasized that the ED-DOL partnership would provide states with “clearer guidance, reduced regulatory burdens, and more resources that are directly invested in opportunities for American workers.”
- The partnership has met resistance from some Democratic lawmakers, who say that reforms to these programs need to be approved by Congress. In a June 18 letter, Sens. Patty Murray (WA) and Tammy Baldwin (WI) and Reps. Robert “Bobby” Scott (VA) and Rosa DeLauro (CT) wrote: “Respectfully, federal agencies are not interchangeable entities that simply hand out money to states and localities… We urge you to cease plans to implement this IAA immediately and implement CTE and adult education programs as specified in authorizing and annual appropriations laws.”
- Other advocacy groups, including Advance CTE and the Association for Career and Technical Education, have also voiced opposition to the partnership: “[These programs] are not merely job training programs; [they] are comprehensive educational and career preparation programs that prepare secondary and postsecondary learners for lifelong success.” [Community College Daily; K-12 Dive]
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