Trump administration lays off half of Education Department

• The Trump Administration laid off half of the Department of Education’s 4,100 employees Tuesday evening. The move is a major step toward President Trump’s stated goal of eliminating the department.
• Earlier Tuesday, Department of Education employees in the Washington region received a notice. It said all department offices in the area will be closed starting at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday for “security reasons.”
• It is unlikely the president could unilaterally close the department because it was created by an act of Congress in 1979.

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The Trump Administration laid off about half of the Department of Education’s 4,100 employees Tuesday evening, March 11. The move is a major step toward President Trump’s stated goal of eliminating the department. 

“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,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement.

When the Trump administration began, the department had 4,133 employees. Between these layoffs and the buyouts offered to federal employees earlier this year, the department’s workforce now stands at 2,183.

How did those at the department find out?

Earlier Tuesday, Department of Education employees in the DC region received a notice. The notice said all department offices in the area would be closed starting at 6:00 p.m. Tuesday for “security reasons.” The offices will remain closed Wednesday, March 12. It also told employees eligible for telework to take their laptops home and return to the office on Thursday, March 13.

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President Trump has stated he wants states to run schools. He also supports school choice. The education option allows parents to send their children to alternative schools rather than neighborhood public schools.  

He previously said he wants Education Secretary Linda McMahon to put herself out of a job. 

Can the president shut down the Education Department?

It is unlikely the president could unilaterally close the department because it was created by an act of Congress in 1979. Since President Jimmy Carter signed the legislation, Republicans have stated the federal government is overstepping. 

The department has several duties, including civil rights enforcement, running the $1.5 trillion federal student loan program and sending billions in federal funds to state education departments. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, federal funds account for about 11% of total elementary and secondary public school revenue.

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Republicans contend many of those functions can be handled directly by the states instead of sending the money to the federal government only to be redistributed. 

Democrats, however, say closing the department will negatively impact students with disabilities. They also say it would lead to larger class sizes and reduce individualized services for students.