Three former U.S. Department of Education secretaries and a federal employee union leader have formally requested an investigation into the massive workforce reductions at the federal agency. The group sent a letter Tuesday to Mark Priebe, the acting inspector general for the department, asking him to examine the financial costs and operational impacts of the mass firings that occurred last year.
The signatories include former Education Secretaries Arne Duncan, John B. King Jr., and Miguel Cardona, alongside Rachel Gittleman, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252. Their request comes amid ongoing political debate over the Trump administration’s efforts to restructure the 46-year-old agency.
Timeline of Workforce Reductions
The controversy centers on a reduction in force (RIF) announced by the department in March 2025. President Donald Trump outlined the downsizing plan in an executive order that same month, appointing Linda McMahon as Education Secretary to lead the effort. The U.S. Supreme Court temporarily approved the mass layoffs and downsizing plan in July 2025, clearing the way for implementation after a period of legal challenges.
The RIF took effect in early August 2025. Gittleman stated that roughly 1,000 workers were unlawfully terminated or forced into retirement during that month. The letter to Priebe also questioned a separate October 2025 effort to fire nearly 500 employees, which was paused by courts and ultimately stopped by Congress. The former officials are asking the watchdog to investigate the costs associated with reinstating and rehiring hundreds of those employees.
Criticism From Administration
A spokesperson for the Department of Education pushed back against the letter, criticizing the records of the former secretaries regarding Common Core implementation, FAFSA processes, and gender definitions. The administration maintained that the RIF was implemented in full compliance with existing regulations and laws.
“We need a full picture of the fraud, waste and abuse carried out by this administration as they continue to play politics rather than doing their jobs to serve the American people,” Gittleman said during a press conference held outside the U.S. Capitol on Tuesday.
Congressional Response
Democratic lawmakers joined the union leaders at the press conference, including U.S. Sens. Angela Alsobrooks and Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, and Rep. Bobby Scott of Virginia. They criticized the administration’s broader strategy to dismantle parts of the Education Department.
The administration has signed more than a dozen interagency agreements to offload Education responsibilities to other federal departments, including Health and Human Services, Labor, Interior, State, Justice, and Treasury. In response, a Senate education panel advanced a bipartisan bill in July to block certain interagency agreements affecting special education, elementary and secondary education, postsecondary education, and Native American education. A House education panel also advanced a package earlier that month aimed at reducing the department’s responsibilities.
For Idaho families navigating educational changes, local resources remain available. Boise State University recently established its first education endowment to advance dyslexia training, offering new support for students with learning differences. Additionally, community events like those at Centennial High School continue to provide engagement opportunities for local families.