Trump Fires More Education Dept. Employees

"Russell Vought, director of the Office of Management and Budget, has threatened the layoffs for weeks, citing the government shutdown. Vought wrote on social media Friday that his promised reduction in force had begun. A department spokesperson then confirmed in an email to Inside Higher Ed that "ED employees will be impacted by the RIF." The spokesperson did not clarify how many employees will be affected or in which offices."

"Nearly 95 percent of department employees who don't work on federal student aid were furloughed when the shutdown began Oct. 1. The Education Department already lost nearly half its career staff members during a first round of mass layoffs in March. The federal workers' union and multiple outside education advocacy groups have since challenged those layoffs in court. Lower courts blocked the RIF, but the Supreme Court overturned those rulings in July. Affected staff members officially left the department in August."

"A senior department leader, who spoke on condition of anonymity, told Inside Higher Ed that the layoffs were directed by OMB and came as a surprise to ED. "Last week the [education] secretary's office had said no RIFs at all," the senior leader explained. "We heard on Tuesday that OMB sent over a list of people for ED to RIF ... ED apparently edited it""

Department of Education staff will be affected by a reduction in force tied to the government shutdown. The Office of Management and Budget director announced the RIF had begun and a department spokesperson confirmed ED employees will be impacted. Nearly 95 percent of employees not working on federal student aid were furloughed when the shutdown began. The department previously lost nearly half its career staff in March mass layoffs and those affected left in August after the Supreme Court allowed the RIF. A separate lawsuit challenged the latest cuts. Sources say offices for elementary and secondary education and communications will be among those affected.

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