Education Department expected to lay off 1,300 employees as Trump moves to close down agency

The Department of Education on Tuesday said it will drastically reduce its workforce by laying off roughly 1,300 employees, as President Donald Trump looks to eliminate the federal agency.

Trump first toyed with getting rid of the department on the campaign trail for his second term, and the cuts come as the president oversees a massive restructuring and reorganization of the federal workforce. 

The termination notices are expected to begin on Tuesday evening, according to CNN.

The news comes the same day that the department announced it was canceling the lease on several offices in major cities, including New York, Boston, Chicago and Cleveland, Rachel Oglesby, the department’s chief of staff, told the Associated Press.

The department has already downsized some of its staff by extending buyout offers and terminating probationary employees. By the time all of it is done, the department's workforce should be half its previous size. 

Education Secretary Linda McMahon has endorsed the termination and downsizing efforts, stating that her end goal would be to turn the department's authority over to individual states. 

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.