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Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
What a smaller US Education Department means for students, funding, and civil rights
The US Education Department has undergone significant reductions since President Trump took office, shrinking to about half its previous size. From roughly 4,000 employees at the start of the year, the department has cut over 1,300 jobs, with layoffs impacting almost every division. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Despite these reductions, the department continues to play a central role in federal education policy and funding, affecting millions of students across the country. This downsizing has altered the department's capacity to perform key functions, including distributing financial aid, enforcing civil rights laws, conducting education research, and administering student assessments. The ongoing changes have led to widespread effects on students, schools, and educational institutions nationwide, according to reporting by the New York Times. Major cuts affect funding and aid programs The Education Department is responsible for distributing more than $224 billion annually, with over 70 percent dedicated to federal student aid. This includes approximately $90 billion in new loans and $39 billion in Pell Grants, which are awarded to low-income students and do not require repayment. The department also manages the federal work-study program and grants aimed at encouraging teaching in hard-to-staff subjects and schools. The layoffs have particularly impacted the Office of Federal Student Aid, which lost several hundred workers, limiting the department's ability to efficiently manage these programs. Despite reductions, the department continues to provide financial aid to millions of students, but changes have raised concerns about the future of loan forgiveness programs and the overall support system for college attendance. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now As reported by the New York Times, President Trump has expressed intentions to restrict public-sector loan forgiveness and reduce the number of students attending four-year colleges. Civil rights enforcement and investigations scale back The department's Office for Civil Rights has also seen significant downsizing, with seven of its 12 regional offices closed. This office enforces anti-discrimination laws affecting students based on race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation. The department has pursued investigations into colleges and K-12 schools on issues such as antisemitism, gender policies, and racial equity. However, many of these efforts are tied up in litigation, with courts pausing some of the administration's attempts to withhold funding from educational institutions. The New York Times reports that the department has taken a controversial approach, including challenging policies that allow transgender students to use bathrooms or play on sports teams matching their gender identity, arguing these violate girls' rights under Title IX. At the same time, investigations into inadequate services for disabled students have declined after the firing of several government lawyers specializing in these cases. Research, testing, and federal oversight face reductions In addition to funding and civil rights work, the department's role in educational research and student testing has been significantly scaled back. The National Center for Education Statistics, which tracks student achievement and compares US students to peers domestically and internationally, lost its longtime leader, Peggy Carr, as part of the administration's restructuring. These cutbacks have limited the federal government's ability to assess and improve education outcomes nationwide. The US Education Department was established in 1979 with the primary role of distributing financial aid and enforcing civil rights protections. Despite efforts by President Trump to reduce the agency's size and influence, the department remains an essential source of funding and regulatory oversight for schools across the nation. Experts quoted by the New York Times note that efforts to fully dismantle the department face substantial opposition in Congress due to its critical role in supporting students and schools, including popular programs like Pell Grants and IDEA, which assists students with disabilities. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us .
Time of India
16-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
How massive US Education Department cuts are threatening the Nation's Report Card and core federal programs
US Education Department layoffs leave key student testing and research functions at risk. (The New York Times) The US Supreme Court has allowed the Department of Education to move forward with laying off more than 1,300 employees, a decision that is already affecting key federal education functions. The move is part of President Donald Trump's broader plan to dismantle the department, an effort long supported by some conservatives. The cuts reduce the department's total workforce by nearly half, following the resignation or separation of an additional 600 employees earlier this year. Among the most severely impacted areas is the Nation's Report Card — officially known as the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) — which is a congressionally mandated program used to assess student performance across states. According to the Washington Post, nearly all staff in the division overseeing NAEP were laid off, leaving only three employees to manage the work that was previously handled by approximately 30. Impact on student testing and national data collection NAEP, administered by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), is the only federal assessment that provides comparable data on student achievement across states. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Discover Why These Off-Plan Dubai Apartments Sell Fast? Binghatti Developers FZE Read More Undo It is one of the key responsibilities of the Department of Education. The significant staff reductions are already impacting operations. According to the Washington Post, the department missed its deadline for releasing the 2024 science test results and preparations for the 2026 assessment are now at risk due to insufficient staffing. The National Assessment Governing Board, which oversees NAEP, approved a reduced testing schedule in April. The revised plan preserves only the congressionally mandated math and reading tests and eliminates 19 other assessments that were scheduled for 2028 to 2032. The board reportedly tried to retain the most essential exams while signaling which ones should be protected from future cuts, according to a source cited by the Washington Post. Other federal education offices affected The layoffs have also heavily impacted the Institute for Education Sciences (IES), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the Office of English Language Acquisition, and the Federal Student Aid office. The IES, the department's main research and data division, lost around 90 percent of its staff. Mark Schneider, who led the IES from 2018 to 2024, told the Washington Post that the department has yet to provide a clear plan for continuing its responsibilities, stating, "We have so many more questions than we have answers. " A summary of key impacts from the layoffs, as reported by the Washington Post, is shown below: Impact of US Education Department layoffs Category Details Total layoffs approved 1,300 employees Additional separations ~600 (via separation packages) Overall workforce reduction Nearly 50% Effective separation date August 1 (as reported by the Washington Post) NAEP staff reduction From ~30 to 3 employees IES staff reduction ~90% cut NAEP missed deadline 2024 science test results (not released on time) Planned testing cuts (2028–2032) 19 assessments eliminated Programs/agencies affected NAEP, IES, NCES, OCR, Office of English Language Acquisition, Student Aid Budget cut to NAEP $48 million reduction (as reported by the Washington Post) Estimated NAEP savings (5 years) $185 million (according to Education Dept., per Washington Post) Governing Board action Prioritized mandated math and reading assessments; cut optional subjects Key quote (Mark Schneider) "We have so many more questions than we have answers." (via Washington Post) Trump statement "Major Victory to Parents and Students..." (via Truth Social, quoted by WP) According to the Washington Post, department spokesperson Madi Biedermann stated that the agency is working with Congress and state leaders to ensure all required functions continue and that the Trump administration is committed to "sunsetting" the department responsibly. Supreme Court decision and ongoing legal challenge The Supreme Court's decision allowed the layoffs to proceed while litigation continues in a lower court. The American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 said the affected staff had remained on paid leave since a federal court issued a preliminary injunction in May. After the Supreme Court ruling, the department notified employees that their official separation date is August 1, as reported by the Washington Post. President Trump described the court's decision as a victory for families, stating on Truth Social that the ruling was a "Major Victory to Parents and Students across the Country," according to the Washington Post. Critics, however, argue the cuts have left the future of several core federal education functions uncertain. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Time of India
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Why Supreme Court's approval of 1,400 US Education Department layoffs is called 'willfully blind' and 'naive'
US Education Department layoffs: Why Supreme Court's decision to allow 1,400 cuts is 'willfully blind' and 'naive,' judges warn US Education Department layoffs 2025: The US Supreme Court has allowed President Trump to proceed with his plan to lay off nearly 1,400 employees from the US Department of Education, effectively enabling a large-scale downsizing of the agency. This ruling reverses a preliminary injunction issued by Boston's Judge Myong Joun, who had blocked the layoffs, citing concerns that the cuts would cripple the department's operations. The decision has sparked sharp criticism from three liberal justices, who dissented, branding the Supreme Court's ruling as "willfully blind" and "naive." The dissenters argue that the ruling threatens the constitutional principle of separation of powers by allowing the executive branch to effectively dismantle a federal agency by firing its employees. Supreme Court backs Trump's plan despite legal challenges The Supreme Court's order permits the Trump administration to move forward with the mass layoffs, pausing Judge Joun's injunction that had prevented the terminations. The Education Department staff affected by the layoffs had been on paid leave since March, according to the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252. Without the injunction, these employees would have been terminated in early June. The case involves two consolidated lawsuits, one filed by several school districts in Massachusetts and education groups including the American Federation of Teachers, and another by a coalition of 21 Democratic attorneys general. Both suits argue that the layoffs amount to an illegal closure of the Education Department, leaving it unable to fulfil its statutory duties such as supporting special education, distributing financial aid, and enforcing civil rights laws. In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Ketanji Brown Jackson and Elena Kagan, wrote that the majority was "either willfully blind to the implications of its ruling or naive," warning of a "grave" threat to the US Constitution's separation of powers, as reported by the Associated Press. Department of Education response and ongoing disputes Education Secretary Linda McMahon criticised the delay caused by the lower court's injunction and welcomed the Supreme Court's intervention, calling it "a shame" it took the highest court to confirm the president's authority over federal staffing and agency operations, as reported by the Associated Press. Meanwhile, more than 20 US states have filed lawsuits against the administration over billions of dollars in frozen education funding that support after-school care, summer programmes and other initiatives. The department has indicated it is "actively assessing how to reintegrate" the affected employees, requesting updates on their employment status to ensure a smooth return to duty if possible. Summary of key details Issue Detail Number of layoffs Nearly 1,400 employees Initial court action Judge Myong Joun issued an injunction blocking layoffs Supreme Court ruling Allowed layoffs to proceed in a 6–3 decision Dissenting justices Sotomayor, Jackson, Kagan Lawsuits Filed by Massachusetts school districts, education groups, and 21 Democratic attorneys general Department duties affected Special education, financial aid distribution, civil rights enforcement Employee status On paid leave since March; no full return to work during injunction The Supreme Court ruling thus permits the Trump administration's controversial downsizing plan to continue despite ongoing legal challenges and warnings from dissenting justices about the potential damage to the Education Department's capacity and constitutional governance. TOI Education is on WhatsApp now. Follow us here . Ready to navigate global policies? Secure your overseas future. Get expert guidance now!
Bloomberg
25-06-2025
- Politics
- Bloomberg
California Schools Risk DC Funding Cuts on Transgender Athlete Debate
Public school funding in California is at risk after the US Education Department found that the state is violating rules protecting female athletes from unfair competition and unsafe situations 'by allowing males in girls' sports and intimate spaces.' The rules, known as Title IX, require schools to provide equal opportunities for girls, including in athletic activities.
Boston Globe
10-06-2025
- Boston Globe
How scammers are using AI to steal college financial aid
'I just can't imagine how many people this is happening to that have no idea,' Brady said. The rise of artificial intelligence and the popularity of online classes have led to an explosion of financial aid fraud. Fake college enrollments have been surging as crime rings deploy 'ghost students' — chatbots that join online classrooms and stay just long enough to collect a financial aid check. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up In some cases, professors discover almost no one in their class is real. Students get locked out of the classes they need to graduate as bots push courses over their enrollment limits. And victims of identity theft who discover loans fraudulently taken out in their names must go through months of calling colleges, the Federal Student Aid office and loan servicers to try to get the debt erased. Advertisement On Friday, the US Education Department introduced a temporary rule requiring students to show colleges a government-issued ID to prove their identity. It will apply only to first-time applicants for federal student aid for the summer term, affecting some 125,000 borrowers. The agency said it is developing more advanced screening for the fall. Advertisement 'The rate of fraud through stolen identities has reached a level that imperils the federal student aid program,' the department said in its guidance to colleges. An Associated Press analysis of fraud reports obtained through a public records request shows California colleges in 2024 reported 1.2 million fraudulent applications, which resulted in 223,000 suspected fake enrollments. Other states are affected by the same problem, but with 116 community colleges, California is a particularly large target. Criminals stole at least $11.1 million in federal, state, and local financial aid from California community colleges last year that could not be recovered, according to the reports. Colleges typically receive a portion of the loans intended for tuition, with the balance going directly to students for other expenses. Community colleges are targeted in part because their lower tuition means larger percentages of grants and loans go to borrowers. Scammers frequently use AI chatbots to carry out the fraud, targeting courses that are online and allow students to watch lectures and complete coursework on their own time. In January, Wayne Chaw started getting emails about a class he never signed up for at De Anza Community College, where he had taken coding classes a decade earlier. Identity thieves had obtained his Social Security number and collected $1,395 in financial aid in his name. The energy management class required students to submit a homework assignment to prove they were real. But someone wrote submissions impersonating Chaw, likely using a chatbot. 'This person is typing as me, saying my first and last name. ... It's very freaky when I saw that,' said Chaw. Advertisement The fraud involved a grant, not loans, so Chaw himself did not lose money. He called the Social Security Administration to report the identity theft, but after five hours on hold, he never got through to a person. As the Trump administration moves to dismantle the Education Department, federal cuts may make it harder to catch criminals and help victims of identity theft. In March, the Trump administration fired more than 300 people from the Federal Student Aid office, and the department's Office of Inspector General, which investigates fraud, has lost more than 20 percent of its staff through attrition and retirements since October. 'I'm just nervous that I'm going to be stuck with this,' Brady said. 'The agency is going to be so broken down and disintegrated that I won't be able to do anything, and I'm just going to be stuck with those $9,000' in loans. Criminal cases around the country offer a glimpse of the schemes' pervasiveness. In the past year, investigators indicted a man accused of leading a Texas fraud ring that used stolen identities to pursue $1.5 million in student aid. Another person in Texas pleaded guilty to using the names of prison inmates to apply for over $650,000 in student aid at colleges across the South and Southwest. And a person in New York recently pleaded guilty to a $450,000 student aid scam that lasted a decade. Brittnee Nelson of Shreveport, La., was bringing her daughter to day-care two years ago when she received a notification that her credit score had dropped 27 points. Advertisement Loans had been taken out in her name for colleges in California and Louisiana, she discovered. She canceled one before it was paid out, but it was too late to stop a loan of over $5,000 for Delgado Community College in New Orleans. Nelson runs her own housecleaning business and didn't go to college. She already was signed up for identity theft protection and carefully monitored her credit. Still, her debt almost went into collections before the loan was put in forbearance. She recently got the loans taken off her record after two years of effort. 'It's like if someone came into your house and robbed you,' she said. The federal government's efforts to verify borrowers' identity could help, she said. 'If they can make these hurdles a little bit harder and have these verifications more provable, I think that's really, really, really going to protect people in the long run,' she said.
