Department of Education Dismisses Nearly Half of Employees
While the recent layoffs in the Department of Education have raised concerns about the future of federal education programs, officials assure key services will remain unaffected. (Andy Feliciotti/Unsplash)
On March 11th the Department of Education announced it would lay off nearly half of its workforce in the Trump administration’s latest move to reduce the size of the federal government.
Article by Stella Smith, Associate White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON - Last Tuesday, a senior official at the Department of Education announced that 1,315 employees would be relieved of their duties. This official said that the layoff was focused on “teams that were reductive or unnecessary.”
This announcement followed the federal agency’s directive for staff to leave their offices by 6 p.m. EST Tuesday, with offices remaining closed Wednesday for 'security reasons.' Those laid off are expected to collect their belongings from their offices by March 21st.
Following this massive reduction, 2,183 employees will be left working for the Department of Education. Before President Trump’s second term began, the department employed over 4,000 federal workers.
Though President Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire to eliminate the Department of Education completely, such a move requires congressional approval, which is unlikely due to the 60-vote threshold needed in the Senate to overcome a filibuster. Currently, Republicans currently hold 53 seats in the Senate, while Democrats and Independents hold 47.
Abolishing the department is not feasible without legislative action, however Secretary of Education Linda McMahon and the Trump administration can still implement changes to reduce its influence. On her confirmation day, McMahon issued a memo to staff outlining major layoffs and departmental changes, emphasizing that “removing red tape and bureaucratic barriers will empower parents to make the best educational choices for their children.”
The focus may now shift from whether the department will be fully eliminated to how much it can be reduced. With half of the department already laid off, the Trump administration must assess the limits of how many more employees they can dismiss before a court rules that it is violating baseline employment mandates from Congress.
Since the announcement on Tuesday evening, educators have voiced deep concern for both their students’ futures and their own job security. Tara Kini, Chief of Policy at the Learning Policy Institute, warned that the job cuts will significantly impact teachers, especially in high-need areas with existing shortages. The loss of federal funding for teacher training, particularly for special needs, marginalized, and multilingual students, will also result in fewer counselors and support staff.
Despite this, senior officials at the Department of Education assured the public that the reduction in employees would not affect student aid, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, civil rights investigations, or any statutory obligations from Congress.
Ultimately, while the recent layoffs in the Department of Education have raised concerns about the future of federal education programs, officials assure key services will remain unaffected. The Trump administration’s focus now shifts to how much the department’s employment numbers can be reduced without violating congressional mandates.