Education Department Slashes Workforce in Half

On March 11th, Secretary of Education Linda McMahon announced a reduction in force (RIF) of nearly half the U.S. Department of Education (ED) workforce, a reduction that impacts all divisions. According to their press release, the Department will continue to oversee all statutory programs within its scope, including formula funding, student loans, Pell Grants, support for “special needs” students, and competitive grants. To meet this goal, ED will undergo significant restructuring. The full scope of terminations is unclear; however, reported cuts include nearly all of the Institutes for Education Sciences, ED’s independent research arm; large cuts to the Office for Civil Rights, which oversees violations of civil rights laws, including a significant number of disability-related cases; and the elimination of positions in the Office of General Counsel, which provides legal assistance to the Department.

Those affected will be placed on administrative leave on March 21st, and following regulatory requirements and the Department’s collective bargaining agreement, all impacted employees will continue to receive full pay and benefits until June 9th, along with severance or retirement benefits based on their length of service. Once the RIF is completely enacted, the Department will decrease from 4,133 workers to 2,183.

To view ED’s press release on the reduction in force, go here.