The U.S. Department of Education laid off more than 1,300 employees on Tuesday, March 11th, nearly halving its workforce to 2,183 due to President Donald Trump’s plan to dismantle the agency.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed that layoffs are the first step in carrying out the administration’s agenda. She explained that the move was in response to the president’s directive, stating, “That was the president’s mandate.” She further emphasized, “His clear directive to me is to shut down the Department of Education, and we recognize that we’ll need to work with Congress to make that happen.”
McMahon said the cuts target bureaucracy rather than essential programs, and core functions like student aid processing, civil rights investigations, and federal funding distribution will continue. “But we wanted to make sure that we kept all of the right people and the good people to make sure that the outward-facing programs … the grants, the appropriations that come from Congress, all of that are being met, and none of that’s going to fall through the cracks,” she said.
Employees were ordered to leave their offices by 6 p.m. Tuesday, citing security concerns. The department is also closing offices in New York, Boston, Chicago, and Cleveland as part of downsizing.
The Trump administration argues that the cuts will reduce federal interference in education, allowing more funding to flow directly to local schools. McMahon explained, “By taking the bureaucracy out of education, more money can reach the states.” She added, “Better education is closest to the kids, with parents, local superintendents, and school boards.”
Roxanne Garza, former chief of staff in the Office of Postsecondary Education during the Biden administration, expressed skepticism about the potential impact of the layoffs. She questioned how the department could maintain its responsibilities with significantly fewer staff, stating that she couldn’t see how the functions would not be affected by such a reduction.
The department’s complete elimination requires congressional approval. McMahon said the administration is working with lawmakers on the process. Education advocates are preparing legal challenges, while Trump is expected to issue an executive order advancing efforts to dismantle the department.
