WASHINGTON — The U.S. State Department has assumed management responsibilities for federal Title VI international education programs previously administered by the Department of Education, as part of a broader restructuring effort that has shifted multiple education functions to other federal agencies, according to administration announcements and education policy groups.
The transfer, which became part of a series of interagency agreements implemented during the Trump administration’s effort to reduce the role of the Education Department, affects programs supporting foreign-language instruction, area studies and international education initiatives at U.S. colleges and universities. Education organizations said the move follows the elimination of staff positions within the Department of Education’s Office of International and Foreign Language Education earlier this year.
The Education Department has steadily reassigned responsibilities to other agencies since 2025. According to department announcements and published reports, programs and functions have been transferred to the Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, Interior, Treasury and State. The administration has described the changes as part of an effort to streamline operations and return greater authority to states and partner agencies.
Title VI programs, first authorized under federal education law to strengthen U.S. expertise in foreign languages and world regions, have long provided grants to universities for language training, international studies and research. Education advocates have argued that the programs play a role in supporting national security, diplomacy and economic competitiveness through the development of international expertise.
Supporters of the transfer say the State Department’s international mission aligns with the objectives of the programs. The administration has previously said that moving selected education functions to other agencies would improve coordination and efficiency across the federal government. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said earlier this year that such partnerships represented “a practical step toward greater efficiency, stronger coordination, and meaningful improvement.”
Critics, including higher-education organizations and employee representatives, have questioned whether agencies outside the education sector possess sufficient expertise to manage academic grant programs. Some groups have urged Congress to preserve funding and maintain educational oversight of Title VI initiatives.
The transfer comes amid wider changes affecting the Education Department. In recent months, additional responsibilities involving student loans, special education, civil rights enforcement and grant administration have been reassigned to other federal agencies under interagency agreements.
As of Monday, the State Department was managing the transferred international education functions, while federal officials continued implementing the broader reorganization of Education Department programs. Details regarding any future structural changes to the department remained unclear.
