The U.S. Department of Education will put about half of its 4,100-person workforce on administrative leave beginning March 21, the department announced in a Tuesday news release.
The department will continue to support statutory programs under its purview, such as student loans, federal grants and funding for students with special needs, according to the release.
U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency have been working to dismantle the department through executive action as part of a larger effort to cut government spending and shrink the federal workforce.
“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,” education secretary Linda McMahon, who was confirmed by the Senate earlier this month, wrote in the news release.
The about 2,000 employees who will be placed on leave come from every division of the department, the release read.
Though it would require an act of Congress to fully dismantle the department, Trump said he wants McMahon to “put herself out of a job,” the Associated Press reported Thursday.
About 600 of the roughly 2,000 employees included in the reduction are those who accepted voluntary resignation offers at some point over the past seven weeks, the news release read.
The employees to be placed on leave will receive full pay and benefits until June 9, the release read. Impacted employees will also receive severance pay or retirement based on how long they worked.
The education department supports public education through financial aid programs, research funding and student loans, according to its website. State and local governments have a more direct role in establishing education policy.
The department awards about 13 million students more than a combined total of $120 billion each year in grants, work-study funds and student loans, according to its website.
The University of Maryland and the University System of Maryland did not immediately provide comment.
This story will be updated.
