The U.S. Department of Education began a forced reduction in its workforce on Tuesday, cutting more than 1,300 jobs as part of a broader effort by the Trump administration to eliminate the federal agency altogether. Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed the move, stating that the layoffs are a direct response to President Donald Trump’s long-standing goal of shutting down the department.
The department now has roughly 2,183 employees remaining, a significant decrease from the 4,133 active positions at the start of the year. The cuts follow previous reductions, including 572 employees who accepted separation packages and 63 probationary workers who were terminated in recent weeks.
While McMahon and administration officials maintain that essential services such as student loans, Pell Grants, and civil rights enforcement will not be impacted, critics argue that the gutting of the department is already weakening federal oversight of education policy.
In a statement, McMahon characterized the layoffs as a necessary step toward greater efficiency. “Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents and teachers,” she said.
However, education advocates and labor representatives strongly oppose the move, warning that the cuts will have serious repercussions. Sheria Smith, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, condemned the layoffs, stating that the administration has “no respect for the thousands of workers who have dedicated their careers to serve their fellow Americans.”
Among the hardest-hit divisions is the Office for Civil Rights, which saw substantial reductions in regional centers across the country. The department already faced significant backlogs in handling civil rights complaints, and further staffing cuts are expected to exacerbate delays in investigations into discrimination cases in schools and universities.
Opponents of the layoffs argue that the move is part of a broader ideological push to decentralize federal education oversight in favor of state and local control. Trump and his supporters who are active in the parents’ rights movement have long called for a diminished federal role in education, citing concerns over curriculum content and state autonomy.
The layoffs were announced abruptly, with employees told to leave their offices by 6 p.m. Tuesday. The department cited “security reasons” for closing its headquarters on Wednesday, a move that sparked further concerns about transparency and fairness in the process. Affected workers will receive 90 days of full pay and benefits, as well as severance packages based on years of service.
Protests erupted outside the department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday morning, with demonstrators expressing their opposition to the cuts and concerns over the future of federal education oversight. Becky Pringle, president of the National Education Association, warned that the changes would disproportionately harm the nation’s most vulnerable students by reducing access to job training programs and increasing the cost of higher education.
