OCR Layoffs Estimated to Cost Up to $38M, GAO Says

"The Education Department has reversed plans to lay off nearly 300 employees in its Office for Civil Rights (OCR), according to a report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released Monday that estimated the reduction in force cost up to $38 million. The report doesn't make clear how many of the fired OCR staffers are back at work. In December, the department decided to bring some of the employees back to work before rescinding the layoffs in January."

"Nearly half of the employees in the civil rights office were laid off in March as part of a broader reduction in force that affected nearly half of ED's 4,100 employees. The department fired another 137 in October. Congress reversed the October layoffs, but if both rounds had been successful, OCR would have been left with about 60 employees, down from 575 before President Trump took office, according to the GAO report."

"Education Secretary Linda McMahon said in March that the mass layoffs reflected her department's commitment to efficiency and accountability and that the agency would continue to uphold its statutory obligations, which includes enforcing federal civil rights laws. But advocates and Democratic-led states have argued in court filings and statements that the layoffs have hindered the department from effectively enforcing those laws and have left students unprotected."

The Education Department reversed plans to lay off nearly 300 employees in the Office for Civil Rights. The number of returned staff remains unclear after the department brought some employees back in December and rescinded layoffs in January. Nearly half of OCR staff were laid off in March as part of a reduction affecting half of ED's 4,100 employees, and 137 more were fired in October. Congress reversed the October layoffs; had both rounds stood, OCR staffing would have fallen to roughly 60 from 575. Advocates and Democratic-led states say the cuts hindered enforcement and left students unprotected. GAO found ED did not document cost analyses and estimated layoff costs between $28.5 million and $38 million.

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