Washington, D.C.—The U.S. Department of Education announced yesterday evening that it will reduce nearly half of its staff.
In response, Nadine Chabrier, senior policy counsel at the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), issued the following statement:
While Secretary McMahon frames this as a step toward restoring greatness in our education system, slashing staff at this scale is reckless and threatens the agency’s ability to carry out its essential functions.
The Department of Education plays a vital role in ensuring equal access to quality education, administering financial aid, holding for-profit institutions accountable, and supporting states and localities in improving school resources and performance.
Gutting its workforce weakens the agency from within. It also severely disrupts the processing of federal student aid and oversight of student loans in repayment, particularly for vulnerable borrowers who depend on income-driven repayment plans and Public Service Loan Forgiveness. With fewer staff to handle applications and oversee these programs, borrowers will face longer wait times and increased processing errors, creating unnecessary financial distress.
The future of millions of Americans depends on the protections the department provides. We urge lawmakers to hold the administration accountable and reject this reckless attack on the nation’s education system.
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Press Contact: Vincenza Previte vincenza.previte@responsiblelending.org