US education department plans to cut half its workforce

According to reports, the U.S. Department of Education is planning a significant reduction in its workforce, approaching nearly half of its total employees. This move is part of the Trump administration's efforts to reduce the size of the federal government, aiming to streamline agency structures and lower operating costs.

This large-scale layoff is expected to affect nearly 2,100 employees, who will begin their leave on March 21st. President Trump has long sought to dismantle the Department of Education, a long-standing goal of some conservatives, but such actions require Congressional approval.

The U.S. Department of Education was established in 1979 and has an annual budget of approximately $238 billion. Its primary responsibilities include providing financial support to public schools, managing student loans, and implementing various programs to assist low-income students. Notably, the Department of Education does not directly operate American schools or develop curricula; these tasks are handled by state and local school districts.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated in a statement on Tuesday, "As part of the Department of Education's ultimate mission, the Department today initiated a layoff plan affecting nearly 50% of employees." She indicated that the layoffs would affect all departments within the agency, with the goal of "better serving students, parents, educators, and taxpayers."

When Trump took office, the Department of Education had 4,133 employees, making it the smallest department in terms of employee count among the 15 cabinet-level agencies in the United States. After the layoffs, 2,183 individuals will remain, including hundreds who retired or accepted buyout packages earlier this year. Laid-off employees will continue to receive their regular wages and benefits until June 9th, along with severance pay or retirement benefits based on their years of service at the department.

The Department of Education stated in an email: "The Department of Education will continue to fulfill all statutory programs under the agency's jurisdiction, including formula funding, student loans, Pell Grants, funding for students with special needs, and competitive grants." Reportedly, Trump has been considering signing an executive order affecting the Department of Education for several weeks, but no action has been taken yet.

Republicans have proposed eliminating the Department of Education for many years. Ronald Reagan advocated for dissolving the department during his 1980 presidential campaign. However, it has never been accomplished because it requires Congressional action to complete. With the current composition of Congress, this means Trump would need to gain Democratic support.

Many conservatives have long advocated for decentralizing education, granting more power to state and local governments. However, recently, Trump and other conservatives have criticized the Department of Education for promoting a so-called "woke" agenda, including protections for gender and race. Trump has claimed that the agency is "indoctrinating young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material."

The American Federation of Teachers, one of the most influential education unions in the United States, condemned the layoffs at the Department of Education in a statement. The union's president, Randi Weingarten, stated: "The massive layoffs at the Department of Education are an assault on opportunity and will weaken the agency and its ability to support students, throwing federal education programs across the country into chaos." She called on Congress and the courts to intervene.