Trump Administration Lays Off 1,315 Department of Education Staff, Plans Executive Order to Shutter Agency

The Trump administration has initiated a significant reduction in the workforce of the Department of Education, laying off 1,315 employees, which is nearly half of its staff. This move, announced by Education Secretary Linda McMahon, is part of a broader strategy to dismantle the department, according to various Democratic lawmakers and advocacy groups. The layoffs are intended to streamline the department, focusing on 'efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,' as stated by McMahon. The layoffs are seen as an effort to fund tax cuts for the wealthy, with critics like Senators Jacky Rosen and Peter Welch, and Representatives Shontel Brown and Sylvia Garcia, accusing the administration of prioritizing billionaires over the education of American children. The Department of Education's role in funding public education and supporting programs for students, including those with special needs, is at risk. Affected staff will be placed on administrative leave starting March 21, with full pay and benefits through June 9. The administration's actions have been met with strong opposition, with figures such as Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Representatives Juan Vargas and Gregory Meeks condemning the move as detrimental to students, teachers, and families across the nation. The AFL-CIO and other labor groups have also voiced concerns about the impact on working families and the future of public education. In response to the layoffs, the department plans to consolidate six communications offices and end leases in major cities including San Francisco, New York, Cleveland, Boston, Chicago, and Dallas. The three DOE buildings in Washington, D.C., will also be consolidated. Additionally, due to security reasons, employees were instructed to take their laptops home and were barred from entering DOE facilities on March 12, with telework agreements largely no longer in place. The administration is also considering an executive order to shutter the agency and transfer education oversight to the states.