Congress’s short-term funding deal reversed early-October reduction-in-force notices at the U.S. Department of Education and restored pay for hundreds of furloughed employees. The continuing resolution included language to reinstate 465 staff who had been given RIF notices and barred further federal layoffs through its expiration date. Agency employees and union leaders welcomed the reversal but cautioned that reinstatement may not mean a return to normal operations. Education Department staff have been placed on paid administrative leave at times this year rather than working; union officials say the department has previously resisted fully reinstating staff and may again seek staffing changes before January. Policy experts say colleges and state education agencies should expect continued operational disruption: staff who manage formula grant programs, compliance reviews and data collection were among those affected, potentially delaying critical audits and funding decisions into the new year.