• The federal Department of Education is poised to fire half of its workers later this month 

• The US Department of Education distributes funds to schools, investigates civil rights complaints and coordinates public student loans 

• The move is unlikely to impact curriculum, student lunch or money for students with disabilities 

President Donald Trump’s administration on Tuesday announced it intends to slash the number of staffers in half at the US Department of Education, a move that likely won’t impact funding for Michigan but whose consequences could reverberate.

Trump’s administration announced it intends to let go of roughly 1,400 employees beginning March 21 in the agency that administers student loans, investigates civil rights complaints and provides funding for students with disabilities. The administration also intends for nearly 600 people to be let go through resignations and retirements.

“Today’s reduction in force reflects the Department of Education’s commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most: to students, parents, and teachers,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.

In the same news release, the department said it will “continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview, including formula funding, student loans, Pell Grants, funding for special needs students and competitive grantmaking.”

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The immediate impact could take weeks to comprehend and Trump’s administration has backtracked on several pledges in its first few months. The dismissals fall short of his pledge to end the Department of Education, but it could have a similar impact.

Schools advocates, teachers unions and others were quick to condemn the move. Michael Rice, state superintendent for Michigan, called it an "outrage" and "likely prelude" to funding cuts.

"These staffing cuts will ultimately harm those vulnerable children, including students with disabilities, poor children, children experiencing homelessness and English learners, among others," Rice said. 

Here’s what to know about the action and what the department does — and doesn’t — do.

What does the US Department of Education do? 

Among other things, it distributes special funding for students with disabilities, provides funds for schools and investigates alleged civil rights complaints in education settings.

In the current school year, Michigan public schools are getting about $482 million in Title I funds, which includes additional money for schools with higher proportions of low-income students. 

A typical low-poverty district in Michigan receives about $211 per student in Title I funds, while a typical high-poverty district receives about $621 per student.

Would this affect funding for Michigan schools?

Eliminating employees does not eliminate funding but less people could make it harder for funds to flow from the federal government to states and schools. 

The US Department of Education distributes federal funds to Michigan schools for the Title I program which supports districts with students in poverty. The federal government also distributes funds for students with disabilities and students who are learning English as a second language. 

Project 2025, a conservative policy agenda during last year’s campaign, calls for the Title I funding to be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services and eventually become the responsibility of individual states after a ten year period.

Will this change what is taught in Michigan classrooms?

That’s unlikely. The federal government in past years has mandated broad education reforms through programs like No Child Left Behind and used funding to incentivize adoption of curriculum standards like Common Core. 

But most education policy and funding decisions are decided at the local and state level. Individual Michigan school districts are free to choose which curriculum they use. 

Though Trump and McMahon promise to “return education to the states,” both have advocated for changes that would reach into classrooms, from the elimination of diversity, equity and inclusion programs to the teaching of “patriotic education.”

The Department of Education recently launched an online “End DEI” portal for parents and others to report “illegal discriminatory practices at institutions of learning.”

“The US Department of Education is committed to ensuring all students have access to meaningful learning free of divisive ideologies and indoctrination,” the portal states. 

Why does Trump want to get rid of the Department of Education? 

The Department of Education has long been a target of Republicans, who claim Washington has too much control over schools. The agency is relatively new in government terms: It was established in 1979 and the target for elimination just one year later and again in the 1990s.

“The Department of Education is not working as intended,” McMahon wrote in a memo March 3, saying that more than $1 trillion in taxpayer funds have gone through the department since 1980, but student outcomes have “consistently languished.” 

“Millions of young Americans are trapped in failing schools, subjected to radical anti-American ideology, or saddled with college debt for a degree that has not provided a meaningful return on their investment,” she added. “Teachers are leaving the profession in droves after just a few years—and citing red tape as one of their primary reasons.”

Will this affect free school meals? 

Free breakfast and lunch at Michigan schools shouldn’t be affected by anything that happens with the US Department of Education.

Public school students in Michigan are eligible for free breakfast and lunch regardless of income. This program is funded through a combination of state and federal funds, but the money from Washington comes from the US Department of Agriculture.

The number of students choosing to get school breakfast or school lunch jumped significantly after the state adopted the universal program. 

Will this affect college student financial aid or student loans? 

Not according to Trump.

The federal Department of Education is responsible for the federal financial aid process which includes grants, work-study and public loans. 

When borrowers leave school or graduate, they can apply to different repayment programs offered by the federal government.

Several Michigan scholarships and financial aid programs interact with federal programs, meaning elimination or disruptions at the federal level could have a ripple effect on the state. 

Will this affect disabled student services?

Federal funding for disabled students will still flow into Michigan and other states, but gutting the department means there are fewer employees to handle complaints and ensure the money is being properly spent.

Michigan received about $460 million in funding to provide services for disabled students through the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) in the 2023-24 school year. That program is administered by the U.S. Department of Education.

Federal funds provide part of the total spent on services for disabled students, with the rest coming from state funding.