In a major development that will likely impact the funding of scores of scholars and students in America, the United States Department of Education on March 11 announced that more that 1,300 of its employees will be fired.

The move comes as US President Donald Trump inches closer to shut down the agency that takes care of federal loans for college, tracks student achievement and enforces civil rights laws in schools. At the beginning of 2025, the education department had 4,133 employees. It will now have a work force of about half that size after less than two months with President Trump in office.

In addition to the 1,315 workers who were fired on March 12, 572 employees accepted separation packages offered in recent weeks and 63 probationary workers were terminated last month.

According to various media reports, the layoff could portend an additional move by Trump to essentially dismantle the US Education Department, as he has said he wants to do, even though it cannot be closed without the approval of Congress.

US education secretary Linda Mcmahon said that the layoff was part of the process to to deliver services more efficiently and said the changes would not affect student loans, Pell Grants, funding for special needs students or competitive grant making.

According to New York Times, McMahon released a statement saying, “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.”