Department of Education employees were reportedly told offices would be closed Tuesday night and Wednesday ahead of expected layoffs that may impact up to 50% of the federal agency that President Donald Trump has said he hopes to close.
Lettering marks the entrance of the U.S. Department of Education headquarters building on January ... [+]
Employees in the department were told the offices would be closed for “unspecified ‘security reasons’” and were instructed to take their laptops with them and be out by 6 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, CNN reported, citing a memo sent to all employees by the department’s office of security, facilities and logistics.
The building closures—which apply to all Education Department buildings in Washington, D.C., and regional offices, USA Today reported—come amid multiple reports that the department may face mass layoffs of 50% of its staff.
Trump has repeatedly said he wants to close the Education Department and leave education up to the states, but has not taken any formal action yet to do so.
Forbes has reached out to the Education Department for comment.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you'll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here.
4,400. That’s how many employees work in the Education Department, according to the government.
Dozens of probationary staffers were reportedly laid off as part of DOGE’s efforts to reduce the size of the workforce. The agency also offered buyouts to most of its employees in late February and warned of “a very significant reduction in force,” according to Politico, though it’s unclear if DOGE was involved in that offer. DOGE’s “Savings” page on its government website also lists the Department of Education as the department with second-highest savings as of March 5, but it doesn’t go into detail about where savings came from. The site does list dozens of grants under the Education Department that it claims to have cut with savings ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions.
Trump Could Sign Order To Close Department Of Education: Here’s What That Means (Forbes)