The US Department of Education will lay off nearly half its employees. The Trump administration aims to shrink the federal government. As part of this effort, about 2,100 workers will be laid off starting March 21. Trump has long wanted to eliminate the department, and many conservatives support this goal. However, since Congress must approve such a move, a complete shutdown remains unlikely for now.

Department’s Role and Budget

The Education Department plays a crucial role in overseeing public school funding and student loans. Additionally, it runs aid programs for low-income students. However, it does not operate schools or set curricula. Instead, states and local governments handle that responsibility. Notably, only 13% of school funding comes from the federal government, while states and local groups contribute the rest. The department, with a $238 billion budget, currently employs over 4,000 people.

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Official Announcement

On Tuesday, Education Secretary Linda McMahon confirmed the layoffs. “As part of the Department of Education’s final mission, the department today initiated a reduction in force impacting nearly 50% of the department’s workforce,” she stated. Furthermore, she emphasized that every division would be affected. According to her, the cuts aim to “better serve students, parents, educators, and taxpayers.”

Staff Reduction and Severance Pay

Previously, the department had 4,133 employees when Trump took office. Since it already had the smallest staff among the 15 cabinet-level agencies, these cuts will significantly impact operations. After the layoffs, only 2,183 employees will remain. This figure includes those who retired or accepted buyouts earlier this year. Meanwhile, affected workers will continue receiving normal pay and benefits until June 9. Additionally, they will get severance packages or retirement pay based on their years of service.

Programs Will Continue

Despite the staff reduction, the department will still oversee essential programs. For instance, it will continue managing student loans, Pell Grants, special education funding, and competitive grants.

Trump Weighs Executive Order

For weeks, Trump has considered signing an executive order affecting the department. However, he has not taken action yet. Previously, many of his executive orders have faced legal challenges. Similarly, the Department of Government Efficiency (Doge), led by Elon Musk, has also faced lawsuits. This agency has already cut staff and accessed data across federal agencies.

Push for Decentralization

Historically, Republicans have tried to dismantle the Education Department. In fact, when Ronald Reagan ran for president in 1980, he supported this idea. However, eliminating the department requires congressional approval. Given the current political landscape, Trump would need Democratic support. Meanwhile, many conservatives argue that education should be controlled by states and local governments. More recently, Trump and his allies have criticized the department’s “woke” policies on gender and race. He claims it “indoctrinates young people with inappropriate racial, sexual, and political material.”

Teachers’ Union Opposes Cuts

On the other hand, the American Federation of Teachers strongly opposed the layoffs. Its president, Randi Weingarten, called the decision “an attack on opportunity that will gut the agency and its ability to support students, throwing federal education programs into chaos across the country.” She urged Congress and the courts to intervene immediately.