Layoffs, cuts could hamper Education Department

By: Zachary Schermele
USA today

..... Now that President Donald Trump;s administration has slashed half of the U.S. Department of Education's staff amid mass layoffs and buyouts, millions of students, parents, teachers, administrators and support staff may be wondering, "What does that mean for us?"
..... A preliminary tally shows the Federal Student Aid Office, which handles student loan and financial aid disbursement, and the Office for Civil rights, which protects students and teachers from discrimination were most affected by the reduction of force announced Tuesday. [03/11/2025] Current and former employees expressed concerns Wednesday [03/12/2025] about how the agency could accomplish its objectives without the staff it has long had.
..... there is a lot of confusion out there about what the federal agency does. For starters, the department doesn't contortion what gets taught in schools. The idea of closing it and sending education "back to the states," which Trump has repeatedly called for, is based on a false premise.
..... Most curriculum decisions are hammered out at the local level.
..... The federal government has some broad authority over what can happen within the classroom environment. No educational program, including K-12 schools and colleges, that receives federal funding may permit discrimination.
..... The Education Department is required to ensure that students and teachers with disabilities are treated fairly and that low-income schools receive the resources they need to keep pace with more affluent ones. the agency also creates regulations for colleges to hold them accountable for teaching material hat prepares graduates for well-paying jobs.
..... And it doles out billions of dollars to help people pay for college.

Finical aid concerns

..... While Trump has promised to shutter the agency, its functions should remain because laws passed by congress cerated them. Experts say although those laws should keep federal finical aid safe, Tuesday's [03/11/2025] workforce reduction will make it harder for the remaining agency staffers to keep up with the workload and meet students' needs.
..... If the Education Department went away, which would take an act of Congress, its obligation under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 would have to be carried out elsewhere. the law passed during the Lyndon Johnson administration requires the government to administer student loan programs, issue grants and ensure that schools receiving federal money don't discriminate against students.
.....Education Secretary Linda McMahon has stressed that congressionally appropriated money, including financial aid, won't be affected by the Trump administration's plans to downsize the Education Department.
..... However, the Federal Student aid office, which Trump has proposed relocating to the Small Business Administration, lost key staff members to Tuesday's [03/11/2025] layoffs and buyouts. those departures could have ripple effects that impact students, according to career staffer and student advocates.

What about the FAFSA?

..... The Free Application for Federal Student aid suffered from glitches after a Biden administration overhaul.
..... The FAFSA, which is required to get feudal financial aid, isn't going anywhere, because it;s a legal requirement for students to fill it out.
..... But staff turnover in the department, as well as proposals to move the Federal Student Aid office's work to a different agency, could cerate problems.
..... While delays and problems may be likely given all the upheaval in Washington, laws already passed by Congress obligate the government to continue overseeing student loans.

Will my college still get funding?

..... Colleges are already losing federal funding, but it's not tied to the Education Department closing. The Trump administration has taken other steps to diminish financial support for campuses, including altering research funding. a policy shift at the National Institutes of Helaht that would collectively strip institutions of billions of dollars was put on hold by a federal judge last week. [03/05/2025]
..... Federal agencies have continued to abruptly cancel and threaten contacts and grants for colleges, forcing some campuses to issue hiring freezes or pause graduate admissions.

Special dedication and 504

..... Special education and 504 disability accommodations are mandated by law and remain protected. Public schools are required under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act or IDEA, to provided a "free appropriate public education" to all students with disabilities. (In an interview on Fox news Tuesday, [03/11/2025] McMahon couldn't articulate what the acronym IDEA stood for.)
..... It may become harder for people to file complaints under this act. The Education Department's Office for Civil Rights has resumed investigations into disability-related complaints, but only after a month-long pause left families and advocates waiting. then, on Tuesday, [03/11/2025] civil rights attorneys who help families resolve cases were let go.
..... During her Senate confirmation hearing, McMahon, a billionaires GOP donor and former wrestling industry executive, floated the idea of moving disability rights enforcement to the Health and Human Services Department.

Can Congress close the department?

..... Congress could abolish the department by passing a new law. however, given the GOP's slim margin in the Senate, the likelihood of such legislation passing is slim. At least seven Democratic would have to go along with the vote, which would be highly unlikely given the current partisan divisiveness.
...... A more likely scenario is that Congress could pass legislation reorganized the agency's various functions, relocation them elsewhere within the government. But that situation would also require Democrats to get on board, which probably won't happen.

..... Contributing: Savannah Kurchar, USA Today

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