Democrats Decry Dismantling of Department of Education on One-Year Anniversary

Lawmakers and advocates condemn mass layoffs, outsourcing of responsibilities under Trump administration

Mar. 11, 2026 at 7:33pm

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U.S. Senate Democrats and education advocates marked the one-year anniversary of the U.S. Department of Education initiating sweeping mass layoffs, which set the stage for more unprecedented efforts from the Trump administration to wind down the 46-year-old agency. The layoffs have impacted the government's ability to oversee student loan servicers and civil rights enforcement, according to reports from the Government Accountability Office.

Why it matters

The dismantling of the Department of Education has far-reaching implications for students, families, and communities across the country. The mass layoffs and outsourcing of responsibilities to other agencies have undermined the department's core functions, including oversight of student loans and civil rights protections.

The details

The March 2025 Reduction in Force (RIF) effort hit wide swaths of the agency, taking heavy hits to units such as the Office for Civil Rights and Federal Student Aid. This has led to a drop in staff capacity to assess student loan servicers and resolve discrimination complaints. Meanwhile, the administration has pursued interagency agreements to transfer many of the department's responsibilities to other agencies like Labor, Health and Human Services, Interior, and State.

  • In July 2025, the U.S. Supreme Court temporarily greenlit the mass layoffs and Trump's plan to dramatically downsize the agency.
  • In March 2025, Trump signed an executive order outlining his plan to downsize the Department of Education.
  • Between January and December 2025, the department saw a drop of 656 staffers at the Federal Student Aid office.
  • In February 2025, the Federal Student Aid office stopped assessing student loan servicers on accuracy and call quality due to lack of staff capacity.
  • In early January, the agency moved to rescind the RIFs against the Office for Civil Rights employees while legal challenges proceeded.

The players

Donald Trump

The former president who initiated efforts to dismantle the Department of Education as part of his quest to return education 'back to the states'.

Mazie Hirono

A U.S. Senator from Hawaii who hosted the press conference to underscore the impact of the mass layoffs and cuts on students and families.

Dick Durbin

A U.S. Senator from Illinois who joined the press conference to condemn the dismantling of the Department of Education.

Chris Van Hollen

A U.S. Senator from Maryland who participated in the press conference and criticized the waste of taxpayer money while undermining civil rights laws.

Rachel Gittleman

The president of American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, which represents Education Department workers, who said the administration 'has shown it will stop at nothing' to dismantle the department.

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What they’re saying

“They will continue to undermine the careers of thousands of dedicated public servants who work every day to support our students and families.”

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

“Trump is setting these programs up to fail. By shoving these programs to departments that do not have the experience or wherewithal to run these programs, he is setting these programs that our kids rely on (up) for failure.”

— Mazie Hirono, U.S. Senator

“So they wasted taxpayer money while they also tried to undermine the laws of the United States that guarantee civil rights to every student.”

— Chris Van Hollen, U.S. Senator

What’s next

Congress will continue to provide oversight and push back against the administration's efforts to dismantle the Department of Education, including through biweekly briefings on the implementation of any interagency agreements.

The takeaway

The dismantling of the Department of Education represents a significant threat to the federal government's ability to support students, protect civil rights, and oversee critical programs like student loans. This partisan effort to return education 'back to the states' could have lasting consequences for families and communities across the country.