Education Department Shrinks: What's Next for America's Schools?

The Education Department is making big changes. Half of its employees are being laid off. This move comes as the Trump administration has plans to close the department. However, an executive order to start this process has not been signed yet. The department has around 4, 500 employees, making it the smallest cabinet-level agency. The layoffs will affect 2, 000 employees, who will be put on administrative leave starting March 21. Trump has said that some employees are not doing their jobs properly. He wants to keep only the best workers. The department's functions, such as managing federal student loans and enforcing civil rights laws, would likely be moved to other agencies. This would require congressional approval. Some conservatives suggest moving the student loan program to the Treasury Department. Project 2025, a conservative plan, also calls for moving student loans to the Treasury Department before privatizing the system. The Education Department was created by statute under President Jimmy Carter in 1979. Its functions are dictated by federal law, so closing it would likely require congressional approval. McMahon acknowledged in her Senate confirmation hearing that dismantling the agency would require congressional action. In order to pass the Senate, seven Democrats would have to vote with all Republicans to break the 60-vote filibuster threshold, an unlikely scenario as Democrats are broadly opposed to the move. The department handles about 10% of public school funding, including Title I programming for low-income school districts. It also enforces federal civil rights laws through its Office of Civil Rights. The department has about 4, 500 employees, making it the smallest cabinet-level agency. Critics have expressed outrage over the proposed closure. They point out that Trump can't make the move without congressional approval. Sen. Kristen Gillibrand, D-N. Y. , warned that the move could "jeopardize thousands of New York jobs, and billions of dollars in federal funding for New York’s kids, teachers, families and schools. " She called the proposal "illegal" and "unconstitutional. " The Trump administration has already made significant changes to the Education Department. Dozens of probationary staffers have been laid off. The agency also offered $25, 000 buyouts to most of its employees to resign ahead of what it said would be "a very significant Reduction in Force. " Trump has called the Education Department a "big con job" and has said he wants to "drain the education swamp. " He has also signed an executive order aimed at eliminating federal funding for schools that teach or promote "gender ideology and discriminatory equity ideology. " The future of the Education Department remains uncertain. The layoffs and potential closure raise questions about the impact on public education and federal programs. It's clear that significant changes are on the horizon, and the debate over the department's future is far from over.