US Education Department Halves Staff

The United States — United States Department of Education plans to lay off over 1,300 employees, reducing its staff by half, as part of President Donald Trump's broader initiative to dismantle the agency and reduce the federal government's footprint. Education Secretary Linda McMahon is overseeing these cuts, which also include terminating leases on buildings in several major cities. While officials claim key functions like federal aid distribution and student loan management will continue, advocates like Roxanne Garza express concerns about the impact on civil rights enforcement and financial aid processing. The move is supported by figures like Jeanne Allen, who believe it will empower state and local education leaders. This reorganization follows previous buyout offers and termination of probationary employees, with further job cuts expected across other federal agencies like the United States — United States Department of Veterans Affairs and the United States — Social Security Administration.