The US Department of Education plans to cut its workforce by nearly half, with 1,300 layoffs announced by the department on Tuesday. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon described this as a significant step towards recovering the excellence of the US education system. She stated that this action is in line with the commitment to efficiency, accountability, and the prioritization of resources for students, parents, and teachers.
After the layoffs, the department’s staff will be approximately half of its previous 4,100, according to a statement from the department. In the past seven weeks, an additional 572 employees had already accepted opportunities for voluntary resignation or retirement. Those who are newly unemployed will be put on administrative leave at the end of the following week. The department will also be terminating leases on buildings in several cities, but will continue to oversee the distribution of federal aid to schools, student loan administration, and management of Pell grants.
During the presidential campaign, Donald Trump pledged to close the department, claiming it was dominated by “radicals, zealots, and Marxists.” At McMahon’s confirmation hearing, she acknowledged that only Congress has the power to abolish the agency but suggested it is in need of reductions and reorganization.
Critics, including Democratic and progressive officials, have sharply condemned the layoff announcement. Greg Casar, a Texas representative, argued that those in charge are “stealing from our children to pay for tax cuts for billionaires.” Rosa DeLauro, the ranking member of the House Appropriations Committee, stated that ending public education and canceling these contracts is detrimental to the American Dream, especially for children from working-class families who need access to school for their future.
In addition, McMahon recently warned 60 universities about investigations into alleged violations of the Civil Rights Act due to protests against Israel’s actions in Gaza, which were labeled by the Trump administration as “antisemitic harassment and discrimination” against Jewish students. Furthermore, a federal judge in Boston stopped Trump’s plan to cut hundreds of millions of dollars for teacher training, which was seen as affecting nationwide teacher shortage programs. The judge sided with eight states that challenged the cuts, arguing they were based on Trump’s effort to eliminate diversity, equity, and inclusion programs.
Employees impacted by the layoffs will be placed on administrative leave starting on March 21st.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/11/us-education-department-layoffs
