What will ED layoffs mean for OCR, financial aid, education research?

In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Education initiated a reduction in force (RIF) which implicated nearly half of its workforce. A press release announcing layoffs noted that the department intends to cut its workforce from 4,133 to 2,183, with 572 employees accepting deferred resignation or voluntary separation incentives and approximately 1,375 employees placed on administrative leave. In July, the Supreme Court backed the administration's legal right to dismantle the Congress‐created department.