Leading Democrats on the congressional appropriations committees sent a 10-page letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon demanding information about the mass layoffs in the Department of Education (USDE). The March 11 layoffs cut the USDE’s workforce nearly in half and many want to know what the impact will be on the agency’s ability to perform a variety of required oversight functions.
Among major areas of concern identified in the letter are accountability under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, services for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, federal student aid programs at colleges and universities, and students’ civil rights.
The letter requests details regarding the following:
-The number of staff terminated in each program office;
-Expected savings in salaries and benefits for fiscal 2025;
-How many remaining staff were assigned additional duties due to staff reductions since January 20, 2025;
-The average per-staff number of new duties assigned; and
-A complete list of office teams that were cut and the specific responsibilities transferred from those teams to other offices.
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