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- The Department of Education announced Tuesday that it’s firing 1,315 employees.
- This will slash the agency’s workforce in half, a senior administration official said.
- The official said that these terminations will not impact student aid or grant disbursements.
The Department of Education said on Tuesday that it’s firing over 1,300 employees, leaving the agency with just over half the number of workers that were in place before President Donald Trump’s took office for his second term.
A senior administration official confirmed to reporters that the department is beginning to send termination notices to 1,315 employees beginning at 6pm EST on Tuesday.
The official said that of the 4,133 total staff at the department, 259 took the administration’s deferred resignation offer, and 313 accepted the department’s $25,000 voluntary buyout. About 2,183 employees will remain at the agency after these terminations, the official said.
Fired employees will have 90 days until they are officially terminated, and they will receive full pay and benefits during that time, along with severance payments to follow. These terminations are in addition to the 63 probationary employees who were already fired from the agency, the official said, and they will not impact key functions like the administration of federal student aid, grants for special needs students, and civil rights investigations.
“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,” Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in a statement. “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.”
This story is breaking and will be updated.
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