The Trump administration has dramatically reduced the Department of Education’s workforce and moved programs to other agencies while proposing deep cuts to K‑12 and higher‑education funding, according to a recent analysis. Officials cut the department’s staff from roughly 4,000 to about 2,000 through layoffs and buyouts, and senior leaders briefly withheld nearly $7 billion in appropriated funds before political intervention reversed that move. Secretary Linda McMahon’s announced reorganizations and budget proposals — including an earlier House plan to slash Title I by as much as 27% — have prompted pushback from Congress, courts and stakeholders. For universities and state higher‑education systems, the episode has meant uncertainty on federal grant administration, compliance roles, and interagency coordination; institutions are recalibrating grant-management practices and federal policy monitoring as the department’s structure and enforcement posture evolve.