Kamal Ghorui
The administration of Donald Trump will relocate the United States Department of Education from its headquarters to a smaller office in Washington, officials said on Thursday, as part of its ongoing effort to reduce the agency’s role.The department said its current headquarters building has been about 70 percent vacant following staff reductions since Trump took office. According to Associated Press, the United States Department of Energy will take over the lease of the building.
Move part of broader plan
Education Secretary Linda McMahon described the move as a step in the administration’s plan to shut down the department, which Trump directed to move toward closure about a year ago.“Thanks to the hard work of so many, we have made unprecedented progress in reducing the federal education footprint, and now we are pleased to give this building to an agency that will benefit far more from its space than the Department of Education,” McMahon said in a statement.The relocation to another office in Washington is planned for August.Administration officials said the move would reduce costs by cutting unused space and avoiding maintenance expenses at the current building. The relocation is part of a broader effort to scale down the department, a campaign promise of Trump.
Union and political response
The union representing department employees criticised the decision. According to AP, American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 President Rachel Gittleman said, “The message the Secretary’s announcement sends to our staff and the American public is clear — education is next on the chopping block.”Only the United States Congress has the authority to formally close the department. However, the administration has shifted several of its functions to other agencies through interagency agreements.Bobby Scott, the top Democrat on the House Education and Workforce Committee, said the move goes beyond symbolism. “This decision to close the Department’s physical building is not just a symbolic move,” Scott said in a statement quoted by AP. “It reflects a broader effort to reduce the federal government’s role in ensuring people have equal access to a quality education.”
Shift of programmes to other agencies
In a recent step, the administration transferred management of student loans in default to the United States Department of the Treasury. Responsibility for the remaining 1.7 trillion dollar federal student loan portfolio is also expected to move to the Treasury Department at a later date.Over the past year, several programmes related to education have been reassigned to other agencies, including the United States Department of Health and Human Services and the United States Department of Labor. These include programmes on family engagement, funding for low income schools and teacher training.
