Just last week, workers at the Department of Education were starting to worry about their jobs. It seems that those worries were valid, as Linda McMahon, Secretary of Education announced that the workforce in the Department of Education would be cut in half.
Department of Education Workforce Cut in Half
In a statement McMahon said “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.” “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” she continued. Many are optimistic of these workforce cuts. The US education system has been behind many other countries in recent years.
Others aren’t so confident that this change will be for the better. Sarah Sattelmeyer, former Education Department official under Biden said “We’re talking about devastating cuts to an agency that was already understaffed.” Sattelmeyer also said “there wasn’t fat there. You’re cutting into bone.” Critics of both Trump and this change are starting to be vocal about the change. Karen McCarthy, vice president for public policy at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators said “I don’t know if there is a plan and it’s not just out there, or if there is no plan.” She continued, “But right now, there’s a lot of uncertainty about how they’re going to be redistributing work and carrying on key functions.”
What is being cut?
With fewer employees, the Department of Education won’t be able to tackle as much work as fast. However, advocates for the change remain firm that the department will be able to carry out its duties as per usual. Jordan Weissmann, federal agencies and consumer affairs expert at Yahoo Finance, reports that certain areas of the department will suffer more than others.
Weissman claims that his information may not be 100% accurate, so it’s hard to tell exactly what will happen. Weissman and supporters of his still believe that his data can paint an overall big picture of what will happen. Based on this data, the Federal Student Aid (FSA) office will experience the most impact, with 326 layoffs.. The FSA typically deals with student loans as well as Pell grant scholarships. If this number is correct, the FSA would be losing about a quarter of its workforce. Additionally, the Office for Civil Rights is right behind with 243 job cuts. The Institute of Education Sciences is also expecting around 105 job cuts.
Trump has said he hopes to eliminate the Department of Education, and skeptics question whether or not these cuts hint at the eventual close of the Department of Education. Eliminating it would require approval from Congress. Trump has said that he does not think the Department of Education should handle student loans. In his view, that responsibility should be the Treasury’s.
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