Department of Education layoffs; nearly half of staff to be cut
Department of Education staff are slated to receive “reduction in force” notices Tuesday ahead of nearly half of its staff getting terminated, Fox News Digital learned.
WASHINGTON – About half of the staff at the Department of Education are expected to be laid off in the latest round of firings under the Trump Administration, FOX News reports.
FOX 5 obtained a memo sent to staff members by the Office of Finance and Operations on Tuesday, saying all DoE employees needed to leave the building by 6 p.m. They added that all education offices and regional offices will be closed to employees and contractors on Wednesday due to “security reasons.”
The memo states that employees who are approved to work remote can do so on Wednesday. The agency says all offices will reopen on Thursday, March 13 and in-person work will resume.
According to the reporting from FOX News, however, the number of staff returning to the office may be significantly cut by Thursday. Sources say DoE staff members are expected to receive “reduction in force” notices by Tuesday evening, with about half of department personnel set to be eliminated.
The expected “reduction in force” notices come after reports spread in recent days that Trump was readying to sign an executive order to abolish the federal agency.
The DoE put out a press release Tuesday evening confirming the impending layoffs, saying that “impacted department staff will be placed on administrative leave beginning Friday, March 21st.”
“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,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.”
Latest layoffs
Trump’s Cuts:
Trump and his Department of Government Efficiency headed by Elon Musk have been making sweeping cuts to federal agencies since January in an attempt to eliminate “waste” and “fraud.”
Trump previously expressed interest in dismantling the Department of Education and giving that power to states. The DoE is the smallest of the 18 cabinet-level departments in the executive branch but every agency is being hit.
RELATED: Department of Education employees offered up to $25K buyout for resignations
Similar to the email that was sent out at the end of January to all federal employees offering a deferred retirement option, this offers employees of the Department of Education up to a $25,000 buyout to anyone that accepts by 11:59 p.m. It takes effect on March 31.
Approximately 75,000 government workers across all departments have accepted the deferred resignation offers.
Background :
According to the DoE, when Trump took office the agency was employing 4,133 workers. These layoffs will cut the workforce down to roughly 2,183 workers. The reduction includes nearly 600 employees who accepted voluntary resignation opportunities and retirement over the last seven weeks.
Department officials say pursuant to regulatory requirements and the Department’s collective bargaining agreement, all impacted employees will receive full pay and benefits until June 9, as well as substantial severance pay or retirement benefits based upon their length of service.
What does the Department of Education do?
What we know:
The main role of the agency is financial, as it distributes billions annually. According to the Associated Press, the agency distributes billions in federal money to colleges and schools and manages the federal student loan portfolio.
Shutting down the agency could mean the redistribution of duties to a different agency. The department also handles the regulation of a number of services for students.
Trump has long signaled his intention to close the department, but fully eliminating it will require Congress to act, Linda McMahon said during confirmation hearings earlier this year.
Who is leading the Department of Education?
Who is Linda McMahon?:
Newly minted Education Secretary Linda McMahon is a billionaire Trump ally and former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment, and the nation’s newest education chief under the Trump administration.
She was a member of the Connecticut board of education for about a year in 2009, and is a longtime trustee at Sacred Heart University.
What She’s Said:
During her confirmation hearings, McMahon distanced herself from some of Trump’s rhetoric, saying she does want the Education Department “operate more efficiently,” but she does not support defunding programs.
While Trump has indicated that he wants to shutter the department, McMahon has said fully eliminating it will require Congress to act.
In a March 3 statement, however, McMahon said she agrees with Trump’s efforts to return control of education to the states.
“My vision is aligned with the President’s: to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children,” her statement reads. “The Department of Education’s role in this new era of accountability is to restore the rightful role of state oversight in education and to end the overreach from Washington.”
The Source: Department of Education, Office of Finance and Operations, FOX News, FOX 5 DC reporting
