Education Department Shifts Workforce Programs To Labor Department

The Trump administration has taken significant steps to consolidate federal workforce development programs by transferring key responsibilities from the Department of Education (ED) to the Department of Labor (DOL). This move includes launching a new integrated state plan portal designed to streamline federal workforce programs, with ED transferring funds and detailing staff to DOL to support these efforts. The shift aims to position DOL as the centralized hub for administering programs such as adult education and family literacy, reducing bureaucracy and enhancing efficiency in preparing American workers for in-demand jobs. Both Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and Secretary of Labor Lori Chavez-DeRemer emphasized the partnership's goal to better connect workers with needed training and to advance skills relevant to future job markets. This transition follows President Donald Trump's March executive order directing the dismantling of the Department of Education and returning education authority to states and local communities where appropriate. Despite the transfer of administrative duties, ED retains statutory and oversight responsibilities for its programs while collaborating closely with DOL in implementation.