US Department of Education orders guns? Why?

So I read an article about an order that the U.S Department of Education (USDE) just placed.  You would think that that branch of the government would use OUR taxpayer money for things that will help our children learn and improve their education.  Guess what....not really.  The USDE has just placed an order for 27 police shotguns.  Why in the world would the USDE need that kind of fire power?  Why would they need any fire power?  I wasn't aware that the USDE was a military or law enforcement branch of the U.S. government.  Read the whole article here.  Education at gunpoint?