Editor's update as of March 20, 2025: Today, President Trump signed an executive order to begin total departmental shutdown. Congress' approval is still needed before the agency can be dismantled. Over 20 states have sued to halt the shutdown. The rest of the original news story follows.

Yesterday, the U.S. Department of Education announced a reduction in its workforce by nearly 50%.

Impacted staff will be placed on administrative leave beginning Friday, March 21. 

The department clarified it will continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview, including grants and program awards mandated by law and funding for special needs students.

As of President Trump’s inauguration, the agency’s workforce stood at 4,133 workers. It now stands at about 2,183, which included nearly 600 employees who accepted voluntary resignation and retirement over the last seven weeks.

In a statement, Secretary of Education Linda 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.”  

McMahon told FOX News that the president’s directive is to shut down the department entirely, which they intend to pursue with Congress, and that this was the first step in that effort.

An executive order is expected, despite delays already. 

Of note: The department’s dismantling cannot happen without Congress. Republicans hold majorities in both chambers, and it would require 60 votes in the Senate.

The directive has sparked much debate.

Some leaders and advocates have raised concerns about how this could impact programs such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which defines 13 different categories of special needs and ensures that children with those needs receive a free public education — which includes transportation.

North Carolina Superintendent of Public Instruction Maurice Green said that: “A productive partnership with and continued funding from the federal government are essential for North Carolina’s students and schools. About $1.2 billion for North Carolina public schools comes from the U.S. Department of Education annually. The complete loss of this funding would be detrimental to students and result in the loss of thousands of educator jobs.”

Randi Weingarten, president of the American Federation of Teachers, told MSNBC that shutting down the Education Department is a “disaster symbolically as much as a disaster in reality.”

Other advocates are preparing to defend the agency through litigation and civic action, according to a report from The Hill.

Michigan’s State Superintendent Michael F. Rice issued a statement, calling the administration’s actions an “outrage.” His full quote can be seen in a Facebook post.

SBF reached out to a few state department transportation leaders for comment, but none were able to say much yet.

Appointed by President Trump, McMahon was confirmed as the 13th Secretary of Education on March 3.

In a speech that same day, she said: “The Department of Education’s role … is to restore the rightful role of state oversight in education and to end the overreach from Washington. This restoration will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the department. In coming months, we will partner with Congress and other federal agencies to determine the best path forward ... An effective transfer of educational oversight to the states will mean more autonomy for local communities.”

For more breakdown and opinions, check out this video:

Editor’s Note: We will keep following this story and update this post as further developments are known.

What do you think? Please share your reactions, comments with us here or by email. If these cuts affect you, whether positively or negatively, we want to hear your experience.