ED Shifts Some Civil Rights Enforcement to Justice Department
Jessica Blake
June 16, 2026
Education Department officials say the “partnership will not impact students, parents or families who believe they have experienced discrimination.” One advocacy group said it will erode “protections for millions of students.”
The Justice Department will take a greater role in enforcing civil rights for students under a new partnership with the Education Department announced Tuesday.
The specific details of the agreement were not yet public, but Education Department officials stressed that many of the office’s duties will now be completed in partnership with the DOJ to “establish a more effective and efficient protocol,” a senior department official said on a press call Tuesday. Office for Civil Rights investigations will continue and staff from ED will make the final decisions, but DOJ investigations and findings will inform that work, the official said.
