The Education Department’s recent agreements to have other federal agencies administer dozens of grant programs have run into technical and transparency problems, including delayed payments and complex new grant payment systems, according to reporting and agency sources. Critics say the move to transfer program administration risks undercutting the department’s capacity and has already produced distribution stumbles. Separately, Reuters reported the department used nondisclosure agreements in talks about outsourcing programs to other agencies — an unusual step for non‑security matters that drew scrutiny from congressional and higher‑education stakeholders. A senior ED official defended the practice as consistent with government and business norms. Universities and K‑12 stakeholders say the combination of administrative disruption and limited public visibility complicates planning for grant recipients and may magnify the sector’s funding uncertainty as program oversight shifts across agencies.