The Trump administration has slashed the Department of Education’s workforce by nearly 50%, leaving over 1,900 federal employees without jobs in what may be the first step toward dismantling the entire agency.
Top Takeaways
- Nearly half of the Education Department’s workforce has been cut, reducing staff from 4,133 to approximately 2,183 employees.
- Affected employees will receive full pay and benefits until June 9, plus severance or retirement benefits based on service length.
- Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated the cuts aim to improve efficiency and accountability in the education system.
- The department is offering buyouts up to $25,000 and has closed offices for “security reasons” as the workforce reduction takes effect.
- The restructuring aligns with President Trump’s campaign promise to abolish the Department of Education and return control to states.
Massive Workforce Reduction Underway
The Department of Education has terminated over 1,300 employees through a “reduction in force” (RIF) process, with impacted staff placed on administrative leave beginning March 21. This dramatic cut follows the voluntary departure of nearly 600 employees who accepted offers through the Deferred Resignation Program and buyout initiatives. An additional 63 probationary employees were dismissed last month, bringing the total workforce reduction to approximately 1,950 positions – slashing the department’s staff from 4,133 in January to about 2,183 currently.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon characterized the massive layoffs as a “significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.” Department officials have emphasized that affected employees will receive full pay and benefits until June 9, “as well as substantial severance pay or retirement benefits based upon their length of service.” The Trump administration is offering early retirement packages and buyouts up to $25,000 to facilitate the downsizing of the federal workforce.
BREAKING: The Education Department is about to initiate layoffs of about 50% of its workforce of 4,400 employees beginning Tuesday evening.
President Donald Trump has proposed eliminating the entire agency and returning education to the states.
Onward!https://t.co/cbcMzoTOjC
— Charlie Kirk (@charliekirk11) March 11, 2025
Security Concerns and Operational Changes
The department closed its offices in Washington, D.C. and beyond on Wednesday, citing “security reasons” amidst the workforce reduction. Employees with telework agreements have been instructed to work from home, while others were directed to take their laptops with them.
The department is working to identify teams deemed redundant or unnecessary that will be eliminated as part of the restructuring. Officials pointed to poor student test scores despite significant federal education spending as justification for the dramatic overhaul of the agency’s structure and size.
First Steps Toward Department Elimination
The workforce reduction appears to be part of a broader strategy aligned with President Trump’s campaign promise to abolish the Department of Education entirely and return control of educational matters to states. Reports indicate Trump may soon sign an executive order directing steps toward closing the federal agency, though complete abolition would require congressional approval.
“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,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in a statement addressing the cuts. She added, “Our job is to respect the will of the American people and the President they elected, who has tasked us with accomplishing the elimination of bureaucratic bloat here at the Department of Education — a momentous final mission — quickly and responsibly.”
Department leadership has expressed confidence in managing the transition despite the massive personnel changes. “We have an incredible leader in Secretary [Linda] McMahon, who has built a multibillion dollar global business and has handled restructuring several times before,” noted a senior official.
