Education Department's Planned Cuts Cost Taxpayers Up to $38M

Watchdog report finds unrealized staff reductions served no purpose and led to rehiring of many employees

Feb. 4, 2026 at 1:55am

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A Government Accountability Office report found that the U.S. Department of Education's planned cuts to its Office of Civil Rights staff, which would have cost up to $38 million, served no purpose as many of the employees were later rehired. The department failed to demonstrate how the cuts would have benefited the public.

Why it matters

The report highlights concerns about government efficiency and transparency, as well as the potential for political interference in federal agencies like the Department of Education under the Trump administration.

The details

In early 2025, the Education Department proposed cutting 299 employees from its Office of Civil Rights, which enforces federal civil rights laws in schools. About half the OCR staff received reduction-in-force (RIF) notices, but the department later rehired 85 of those employees after months of legal battles with unions. The GAO estimated the paid administrative leave for the affected employees cost taxpayers $28.5 million to $38 million.

  • In March 2025, Education Secretary Linda McMahon announced plans to cut 299 OCR employees.
  • In December 2025, the Education Department rehired 85 of the employees subject to the RIF.
  • In January 2026, the Education Department rescinded all RIF notices and reinstated the remaining employees.

The players

Government Accountability Office

The nonpartisan research arm of Congress that conducted the report on the Education Department's planned staff cuts.

Linda McMahon

The Education Secretary under President Donald Trump who announced plans to cut OCR staff in 2025.

Rachel Gittleman

President of American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, who criticized the Education Department's actions.

Bernie Sanders

The Ranking Member of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions who called the Education Department's decisions "unacceptable."

Kimberly Richey

Assistant secretary for the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights, who disagreed with the GAO's recommendation.

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What they’re saying

“For more than nine months, Education Secretary Linda McMahon sidelined hundreds of employees at the Office for Civil Rights from the critical work of protecting our nation's most vulnerable students and families, while costing American taxpayers up to $38 million and mounting a massive backlog of complaints from parents and students.”

— Rachel Gittleman, President of American Federation of Government Employees Local 252 (Statement)

“My theory is that they are reorienting the kinds of things they investigate in schools. So it's not so much allegations of sexual harassment or things that you would have seen in previous administrations. Now it is looking for DEI or DEI-like policies and discrimination against religious families or conservatives.”

— Neal McCluskey, Director of Cato's Center for Educational Freedom (The Center Square)

What’s next

The GAO recommended the Education Department estimate the full costs and savings associated with the reorganization it initiated in March 2025 and document its analysis.

The takeaway

This case highlights concerns about government transparency and the potential for political interference in federal agencies, as well as the need for rigorous cost-benefit analysis before implementing major organizational changes.