The US Department of Education recently experienced a significant wave of layoffs during the Trump administration, with hundreds of employees, specifically 466, being let go. These substantial reductions dramatically reshaped key divisions tasked with upholding civil rights and providing essential support for students with disabilities.
These recent dismissals compounded earlier reductions in March, which had already seen the department shed nearly half its personnel. This new round of cuts impacted approximately one-fifth of the remaining staff, directly affecting offices responsible for managing billions in federal aid earmarked for vulnerable student groups.
Special Education Office Faces Drastic 95% Staff Reduction
The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), a crucial body that oversees services for about 10% of America’s school-aged children, suffered one of the most severe impacts. Reports indicate that OSEP now operates with fewer than six employees, marking a staggering 95% reduction in staff since the beginning of the year.
OSEP is instrumental in ensuring states adhere to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a landmark 1975 law enacted by Congress to guarantee free and appropriate education for students with disabilities. Former deputy assistant secretary Katy Neas highlighted the department’s indispensable role in enforcing IDEA’s mandates, emphasizing that the law was established due to historical failures by states to adequately support these students.
Civil Rights Enforcement Capacity Severely Weakened
The Office for Civil Rights, tasked with investigating complaints of discrimination in schools, has also endured substantial cutbacks. Sources indicated that the office, which started the year with 12 regional branches, saw that number halved by March. Subsequent layoffs suggest that as few as one or two regional offices might now remain.
In 2024 alone, the office handled over 22,600 discrimination complaints—more than double the volume from five years prior. These ongoing staff reductions are poised to severely cripple its ability to conduct effective civil rights oversight.
Oversight for Low-Income Student Funding Jeopardized
The Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, responsible for distributing Title I funding to support low-income students, has also been significantly impacted. Employees dedicated to overseeing these crucial funds were among those dismissed. Given that Title I is the largest source of federal assistance for school districts, these layoffs could severely impede proper oversight.
Additionally, staff supporting historically Black colleges, tribal universities, and charter schools—areas President Trump had previously committed to prioritizing—were also let go.
Layoffs Tied to Political Strategy and Government Shutdown Aftermath
Specific details regarding the eliminated positions have not been released by the Trump administration. However, reports indicate that the White House Office of Management and Budget confirmed 466 Education Department layoffs as part of over 4,000 federal firings, characterized by officials as retaliatory measures against Democrats following a government shutdown.
Union representatives have strongly denounced these actions, filing lawsuits in response. Rachel Gittleman, president of AFGE Local 252, which represents Education Department staff, warned that these cuts would affect every child in America, regardless of their location or abilities. Furthermore, individual termination notices were sent to official government email accounts, despite employees being previously advised not to access them during the shutdown. Though access was later granted, many workers reportedly distrusted the process and opted not to log in.
Statutory Requirements Under Threat Amid Agency Restructuring
Existing US law explicitly requires the Education Department to maintain offices responsible for overseeing special education, civil rights, and elementary and secondary education. Josie Eskow Skinner, a former department lawyer previously laid off, stated that the agency is now fundamentally unable to fulfill its legal duties with such drastically reduced staffing.
Denise Forte, president of EdTrust, characterized the extensive cuts as a deliberate attempt to circumvent congressional mandates, linking them to a broader “Project 2025” agenda aimed at dismantling the federal government’s involvement in education. Notably, only the office of Federal Student Aid, which manages college loan programs, seems to have been largely unaffected by these sweeping changes.