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-Editorial
The U.S. Department of Education announced a significant reduction in force (RIF), impacting nearly half of its workforce as part of its final mission. The move will reduce the department’s total staff from 4,133 to approximately 2,183 employees.
According to the department, all affected employees will be placed on administrative leave beginning Friday, March 21. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon stated that the decision aligns with the department’s commitment to efficiency and resource allocation.
“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,” McMahon said. “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.”
Despite the staffing reductions, the department affirmed that it will continue overseeing statutory programs, including student loans, Pell Grants, special education funding, and competitive grant programs. The restructuring will impact all divisions, with some requiring significant reorganization.
In preparation for the workforce reduction, nearly 600 employees voluntarily resigned or retired over the past seven weeks. This includes 259 employees who participated in the Deferred Resignation Program and 313 employees who accepted the Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment.
The remaining affected employees will receive full pay and benefits until June 9, in accordance with federal regulations and the department’s collective bargaining agreement. Employees will also be eligible for severance or retirement benefits based on their tenure.
This aligns with Trump’s longstanding campaign promise to abolish the Department of Education, which was established in 1979 under President Jimmy Carter.
As of 2021, the U.S. Department of Education had more than 4,000 employees, making it the smallest of the Cabinet agencies. Its budget increased from $14 billion in 1979, when it was established, to $268 billion in 2024. By 2025, the department’s budget accounted for approximately four percent of total U.S. federal spending. The department is officially abbreviated as “ED” to distinguish it from the Department of Energy, which uses “DOE,” though it is sometimes informally referred to as “DoEd.” On March 11, 2025, seven weeks after the start of Donald Trump’s second term, the department announced a workforce reduction affecting nearly half of its employees. The move aligns with the Trump administration’s broader efforts to reduce the size of the federal government.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon emphasized the Trump administration’s commitment to reshaping the role of the Department of Education while announcing the department’s workforce reduction.
“As you are all aware, President Trump nominated me to take the lead on one of his most momentous campaign promises to families. 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,” McMahon stated. “As a mother and grandmother, I know there is nobody more qualified than a parent to make educational decisions for their children.”
McMahon highlighted the administration’s broader efforts to reform education policy, including combating critical race theory, diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and gender ideology in schools. She also emphasized the importance of eliminating federal overreach and returning oversight to state governments.
“This restoration will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department. In the coming months, we will partner with Congress and other federal agencies to determine the best path forward to fulfill the expectations of the President and the American people,” she said. “We will eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy so that our colleges, K-12 schools, students, and teachers can innovate and thrive.”
McMahon pointed to longstanding concerns about student outcomes and federal spending, arguing that the department has failed to meet its intended purpose. “Since its establishment in 1980, taxpayers have entrusted the department with over $1 trillion, yet student outcomes have consistently languished. Millions of young Americans are trapped in failing schools, subjected to radical anti-American ideology, or saddled with college debt for a degree that has not provided a meaningful return on their investment,” she said.
