According to an internal email confirmed by The Educator’s Room, staff at the U.S. Department of Education were instructed to vacate their offices by 6 p.m. Tuesday. All department locations in Washington, D.C., and regional offices were ordered closed on Wednesday.
The message, sent by James Hairfield of the Office of Security, Facilities, and Logistics, cited “security reasons” for the closure. Employees with approved telework agreements were advised to work from home and to take their laptops with them upon leaving Tuesday.
“Employees will not be permitted in any ED facility on Wednesday, March 12th, for any reason,” the email stated. The department is expected to reopen Thursday, when in-person work will resume.
Uncertainty Surrounding the Future of the Department
The closure comes after reports that Donald Trump ordered new Education Secretary Linda McMahon to begin dismantling the agency last week. While the exact timeline remains unclear, eliminating the department has long been a Republican priority, with the president advocating for a shift in education oversight back to the states.
McMahon, confirmed by a 51-45 vote last week, signaled the administration’s intent in an email to staff titled, “Our Department’s Final Misson“, stating that she would work to “send education back to the states” and eliminate what she called “bureaucratic bloat” at the federal level. However, fully dismantling the department would require congressional approval, including a filibuster-proof majority in the Senate—an unlikely prospect given existing political divisions.
U.S. Department of Education Workforce
In mid January, the U.S. Department of Education workforce stood at 4,133 workers. After the reduction in force, the Department’s workforce will total roughly 2,183 workers. According to the press release by the department, included in the reduction in force are nearly 600 employees who accepted voluntary resignation opportunities and retirement over the last seven weeks, including:
- 259 employees accepted the Deferred Resignation Program
- 313 employees accepted the Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment
The remaining employees impacted by the reduction in force will be placed on administrative leave starting next Friday, March 21. According to regulatory requirements and the Department’s collective bargaining agreement, all impacted employees will receive full pay and benefits until June 9th, as well as substantial severance pay or retirement benefits based upon their length of service.
Congressional Hurdles to Dismantling the Agency
Despite Trump’s pledge to shrink federal oversight of education, formally abolishing the Department of Education would require congressional approval. The proposal would face significant challenges in the Senate, where 60 votes would be necessary to advance such a plan.
