U.S. Education Department to Lay Off Half Its Staff as Part of Agency Shutdown Plan

The U.S. Department of Education announced on Tuesday that it is laying off nearly half of its workforce, commencing that evening. The layoffs will affect approximately 2,100 employees out of the department's total of 4,400 staff members. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon confirmed that the mass layoffs are the first step toward shutting down the department. McMahon stated that this action aligns with President Donald Trump's directive to dismantle the agency. The workforce reduction is part of a broader initiative to eliminate the federal Department of Education and transfer education responsibilities to state and local governments. President Trump is expected to issue an executive order to facilitate the department's closure, fulfilling a long-standing objective to reduce federal involvement in education.