The U.S. Department of Education confirmed it will be subject to a governmentwide reduction in force as the federal shutdown continues, with the agency’s elementary and secondary education office among those expecting significant cuts. The administration’s Office of Management and Budget characterized the downsizing as “substantial”; unions representing department employees warned of deep operational impacts on programs like Title I and ESSA enforcement. Parallel reporting shows individual Education Department staff have already received pink slips during the shutdown. The agency has shrunk considerably earlier this year and has furloughed the majority of employees since funding expired, raising immediate concerns about case backlogs, civil-rights investigations, and routine state engagement. Education nonprofits, state systems, and K–12 leaders are bracing for reduced federal capacity in both compliance and grant administration. The layoffs and firings create near-term compliance risk for institutions that rely on the department for program approvals, student-aid guidance and research funding. Boards and campus leaders should assess contingency plans for delayed guidance and potential disruptions to federally supported programs.