Department of Education to Reduce Workforce by 50%
The cost-cutting initiatives also involve the closure of all offices in cities such as New York, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, and San Francisco.
On March 11, the U.S. Department of Education announced plans to lay off 1,315 employees—approximately half of its staff—within 90 days as part of its ongoing cost-saving strategies.
A senior official informed reporters during a press call that the reduction in workforce is aimed at eliminating redundancies in communications, human resources, information technology, and various other divisions within the department.
The employees affected were scheduled to receive notifications via email at 6 p.m. on March 11. The Washington, D.C. office is set to close on March 12 for safety reasons, and the senior official indicated that staff are expected to work remotely with full pay and benefits until March 21. After that, they will enter administrative leave with pay until June 9.
The employees who are laid off will be granted severance packages based on their tenure, with the most senior receiving up to 20 weeks of salary.
The agency stated that around 600 of its 4,133 employees have opted for voluntary departure, including 313 who accepted buyout offers of $25,000 last week.
Offices of the Department of Education outside Washington, including those in New York, Boston, Dallas, Chicago, and San Francisco, will be shuttered. Specific closure dates, determined by existing leases, have not been disclosed. The senior official also noted that following these closures, all staff will consolidate at a single building in Washington.
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The senior official emphasized that the staff reductions will not impact any services provided by the department, such as college financial aid loans and grants, Title 1 funding for low-income students, funding for special education, and civil rights initiatives.
She stated that these choices have been made after careful consideration and will enhance the agency’s efficiency.
“What we are doing now is not functioning,” she commented. “It’s simply not.”
The Department of Education clarified that the pay during administrative leave and severance packages comply with federal regulations and the terms of contracts for unionized employees.
“I appreciate the dedication of the public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a crucial step towards restoring the excellence of the United States education system.”
The Education Department mentioned that several divisions will undergo “significant reorganization to better serve students, parents, educators, and taxpayers.”
These planned cuts were confirmed last month.
President Donald Trump has previously expressed his desire to downsize the Department of Education, transferring its roles to other federal agencies or states, with the goal of ultimately abolishing it.
McMahon supports Trump’s proposal to dissolve the department and eliminate her position after its functions and funding are redistributed to other federal entities or state jurisdictions.
She has previously informed federal lawmakers that only Congress, which established the agency in 1979, possesses the authority to abolish it.
Last week, McMahon stated that she would continue collaborating with the Department of Government Efficiency to identify further potential reductions within the department. She noted that only 47 cents of every dollar her agency allocates to states actually reaches classrooms, while a significant portion of the federal funding is spent on regulatory compliance.
