Sponsors (3)
The bill favors clearer departmental control and fiscal transparency for interagency agreements, but at the cost of reduced interagency cooperation and added administrative limits that may hinder services, innovation, and local support for students and education partners.
State education systems (K–12, special education, postsecondary, and Indian education stakeholders) and state governments keep clear lines of authority because the bill prevents creation of new interagency arrangements that would change core Department of Education offices.
Students, teachers, and existing grantees avoid immediate service disruption because interagency agreements already in effect on Feb 1, 2025 can continue and be renewed in a limited way.
Taxpayers and Congress get better fiscal oversight because the bill requires regular, detailed reporting of costs for each interagency agreement, reducing the chance of hidden or untracked obligations.
Students (including those with disabilities) and tribal communities may lose access to federal expertise, services, or supports because the bill restricts new interagency collaboration that could supply specialized help (e.g., special education, mental health, disability services).
The Department of Education and federal employees face increased administrative rigidity because the bill prevents transferring functions and forming new interagency arrangements, which can hinder efficient reorganization or lawful cooperation.
Reporting requirements and a temporary prohibition on travel (FY2026–FY2027) will increase compliance workload and reduce program oversight and stakeholder engagement, which could divert staff time from service delivery and lead other agencies or grantees to delay or avoid partnerships.
Based on analysis of 2 sections of legislative text.
Bars new interagency agreements tied to four ED offices and requires public detailed cost reports for post-February 1, 2025 agreements; conditions some travel funds on reporting.
Official title: To prohibit the transfer of certain offices and functions of the Department of Education to other Federal agencies, and for other purposes.
Introduced September 2, 2026 by John W. Mannion · Last progress September 2, 2026
Prohibits the Secretary of Education from entering into new interagency agreements or similar arrangements with other federal agencies that relate to the functions of four specified Department of Education offices (special education and rehabilitative services; postsecondary education; Indian education; and elementary and secondary education). The ban also prevents moving a function out of those offices and then contracting with another agency to perform it, but it excludes agreements that were in effect on February 1, 2025, and renewals that keep substantially similar terms. Requires the Department to produce and publicly post a detailed cost-analysis report for each interagency agreement entered into on or after February 1, 2025, delivering the first report within two weeks of enactment and quarterly thereafter to key congressional committees. The reports must break out many categories of costs and compare estimates to FY2024 expenditures. Separately, it bars use of Department travel funds for FY2026 and FY2027 unless the required information is provided for applicable agreements.