Education Secretary Linda McMahon told the House Education Committee on Thursday that the Trump administration is acting on a “clear mandate” to “dismantle” the U.S. Department of Education, while Democrats accused her of obstructing civil rights enforcement and Republicans urged her to become the agency’s final leader.
why it matters: The hearing revealed how far the administration has moved in 16 months and how the changes will reshape student loans, civil rights complaints and special education for millions of students and borrowers.
What’s next on student loans: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act left undergraduate borrowing limits unchanged, but limited most graduate students to $20,500 per year and $100,000 total. Medical, law and dentistry students can borrow up to $50,000 per year and up to $200,000 total.
McMahon’s views on the debt ceiling: He argued that the new limit would put pressure on colleges to lower tuition, citing UC Irvine’s Flex MBA program, which reduced its price to $99,000 to fit under the limit.
Idea Question: Asked if she planned to turn oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act over to another agency, McMahon did not make a yes or no commitment, saying that the department would co-administer programs with other agencies before any transfer, eliciting a response from Representative Susan Bonamici (D-Ore.).
Office of Civil Rights Counsel (OCR): McMahon said that “OCR is important” and that she is “rehiring attorneys”, yet the administration’s own FY27 budget proposes a 35% cut to the office. He called the request “a destination,” not a goal.
Reading between the lines: The Office of Federal Student Aid, which was cut nearly in half last year, is now trying to hire 334 new employees — a tacit admission that earlier cuts have hurt the office’s ability to function.
How it connects: College Investor has tracked how new undergraduate student loan limits are already prompting some programs to reset pricing. UC Irvine’s MBA tuition reduction is one of the first concrete examples, and likely won’t be the last.
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