U.S. House Democrats urged Education Secretary Linda McMahon to stop plans to dissolve the standalone Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA), warning that redistributing its work could disrupt services for the nation’s more than 5 million English learners. In a May 12 letter, Reps. Bobby Scott and others argued that eliminating OELA would weaken specialized oversight for federal Title III programs and educator professional development tied to English-learner instruction. The Education Department previously told congressional committees in February that it intended to dissolve OELA and redistribute its programs across other offices. Democrats said the transfer would also intersect with broader administrative moves to shift day-to-day management of some programs to other federal agencies. Federal officials have framed the change as part of a broader effort to “return education to the states.” But English-learner advocates, educators, and former OELA directors said a dedicated office provides tailored expertise and resources that states and districts may struggle to replicate without central support. While the letter does not block the plan, lawmakers and experts said it could lay groundwork for future legislative efforts aimed at restoring an office focused on English-learner needs.