Massive Layoffs at Department of Education Slash Workforce by Half

Trump administration's cuts target civil rights enforcement and research, raising concerns over support for vulnerable students and families.

The U.S. Department of Education has laid off over 1,300 employees, reducing its workforce to approximately 2,200, with additional buyouts accepted by 572 staffers.
The Office for Civil Rights, responsible for investigating discrimination complaints, lost nearly half its staff and faces a backlog of over 20,000 cases, many involving students with disabilities.
The Institute of Education Sciences, which conducts research on educational outcomes, has been significantly downsized, threatening its ability to provide critical data and analysis.
Key federal programs like Title I funding, special education resources, and financial aid for low-income students are legally protected but may face administrative challenges due to reduced staffing.
Critics, including union leaders and education experts, warn that the cuts jeopardize oversight, enforcement, and support for vulnerable students, while the Trump administration defends the move as reducing bureaucratic inefficiency.