The US Department of Education is in turmoil as it faces a significant reduction in force, accompanied by a contentious resignation buyout offer. Employees received an offer of up to $25,000 or their owed severance, whichever is less, as the department anticipates staff reductions. This comes in the wake of a federal court ruling deeming last month's mass firing of probationary employees likely illegal, resulting in a temporary injunction to halt further firings.
Sixty employees have been placed on administrative leave following an anti-DEI executive order from former President Donald Trump. In a further blow, $900 million in research funding dedicated to tracking American students' academic progress has been canceled. The department, primarily funded by local taxpayer dollars, faces an uncertain future without federal support, which many argue leads to inherent inequalities in education.
Morale within the department has reached an all-time low, exacerbated by recent communications from the newly confirmed Secretary of Education, Linda McMahon. Her email outlined what she described as the "final mission" for the department, signaling profound changes involving Congress and other federal agencies that will impact budgets, staffing, and operations.
“It’s heartbreaking to read such a disingenuous, manipulative letter from the head of the agency,” stated an anonymous Department of Education employee.
The communication from McMahon followed an email from Elon Musk's "department of government efficiency" (Doge), which asked staff to justify their jobs by listing five bullet points of their activities from the previous week. This email was perceived as "incredibly hostile" and ominous, hinting at a plan to dismantle the department.
“This is a power grab. The message is clear that they want to privatize public dollars on the backs of our nation’s most vulnerable children. We know poor children and children with disabilities will suffer with the plans McMahon has laid out. Private schools will leave our students with disabilities out. Poor kids will receive less money to compete on a level playing field.” commented an anonymous Department of Education employee.
Reports indicate that President Trump is finalizing plans for an executive order to eliminate the department entirely. Some fear that this could result in the reorganization or elimination of its functions and programs, while others see it as an opportunity for transformation.
“Under President Trump’s direction, Secretary McMahon will restore our education department by sending education back to the states and empowering all parents to choose an excellent education for their children,” said Harrison Fields.
“I don’t read the letter to be an end to the department. It reads as a transformation into something sinister, a tool for the president to use to ensure his ideology is implemented by states and local governments at the risk of losing funding. It’s the exact overreach it’s purporting to stop.” expressed another anonymous employee.
The contentious nature of these developments has sparked debate about the future of federal involvement in education. Critics warn that removing federal oversight could exacerbate existing inequalities, leaving disadvantaged students and those with disabilities further behind.
“America’s failing report card reflects the federal government’s inability to adequately provide our children with excellent education and the 2024 NAEP scores show reading and math proficiency rates are down nationwide.” noted Harrison Fields.