Earlier in the day, sources told Diverse that staff received "reduction in force" notices Tuesday evening, with nearly half of the department's workforce potentially facing elimination. This development comes amid broader efforts by the Trump administration to significantly downsize or potentially eliminate the federal agency.
Earlier Tuesday, all department employees received a memo stating that offices would be closed Tuesday evening through Wednesday. The email provided little explanation beyond citing "security reasons" and indicated offices would reopen Thursday.
By Tuesday evening, the Secretary of Education confirmed the reductions.
"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,” said Linda McMahon. “I appreciate the work of the dedicated public servants and their contributions to the Department. This is a significant step toward restoring the greatness of the United States education system.”
The timing is significant as agency heads are scheduled to submit their "reorganization" plans to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) on Thursday. A February guidance memo from these offices directed agency leadership to implement "large-scale reductions in force (RIFs)" through attrition and "by eliminating positions that are not required."
McMahon signaled these changes in a letter to staff in early March, describing a "momentous final mission" to return education to state control. She acknowledged the reconstruction would "profoundly" impact staff, budgets and agency operations.
"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," McMahon wrote in the letter.
According to AFGE Local 252, the union representing department employees, at least 75 staff members have already been placed on paid administrative leave. This count excludes managers and supervisors. The new cuts will include 1,315 federal employees.
President Trump has consistently advocated for dismantling the Department of Education, arguing for returning control of education to the states. "I want to close up Department of Education, move education back to the states," Trump said in August 2024. He predicted that of the 50 states, "35 would do great" with this approach.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported on a draft executive order directing Secretary McMahon to "take all necessary steps to facilitate the closure of the Education Department" to "the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law." The draft order reportedly characterized federal control of education as a failed experiment that has not served "our children, our teachers, and our families."
Reaction to the firings at the Department of Education was swift.
“Make no mistake: Today’s action is a far cry from any thoughtful, comprehensive policy proposal to improve our education system," said Sameer Gadkaree, President of The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS). "Instead, it’s part of the continued, reckless diminishment of the Department of Education, built on firing workers fast – coupled with an unrealistic hope that the Administration can figure out a plan afterwards. It opens the door to an unprecedented wave of disorder and confusion for students, borrowers and schools, while ignoring real opportunities for reform."
