Department of Education offices closed Wednesday for 'security reasons'
The Department of Education told staff in an email Tuesday that its offices would be closed Wednesday for “security reasons.”
The email, obtained by NewsNation, said workers needed to leave the building by 6 p.m. EDT Tuesday and not return until Thursday.
“Beginning today at 6:00 p.m., all ED offices in the National Capital Region (NCR) will be closed for security reasons. Employees must vacate the building by that time,” the email reads.
“Employees will not be permitted in any ED facility on Wednesday, March 12th, for any reason. All offices will reopen on Thursday, March 13th at which time in-person presence will resume,” it continues.
The department did not give any details about what the security concerns were.
The Hill has reached out to the Department of Education for comment.
The announcement comes as the federal agency has been under scrutiny for firing hundreds of employees and cutting millions of dollars in federal contracts.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon said the department was in its “final mission” and the “restoration will profoundly impact staff, budgets, and agency operations here at the Department.”
“In coming months, we will partner with Congress and other federal agencies to determine the best path forward to fulfill the expectations of the President and the American people. We will eliminate unnecessary bureaucracy so that our colleges, K-12 schools, students, and teachers can innovate and thrive,” she added.
-
Department of Education staff told offices will be closed Wednesday
The email sent to Department of Education staff said offices will be closed "for security reasons."CBS News - 14h -
Department of Education workforce slashed in half
The Department of Education says more than 2,100 civil service workers will lose their jobs. The department says all of its divisions are impacted by the reduction. NBC News’ Kelly O’Donnell ...NBC News - 10h -
US education department to lay off 1,300 people as Trump vows to close agency
Firings announced Tuesday as administration decried as ‘detached from how Americans live’. The US Department of Education intends to lay off nearly half of its workforce. The layoffs of 1,300 ...The Guardian - 6h -
Education Department says 60 universities under investigation for antisemitism
The Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights (OCR) is investigating 60 universities for antisemitism, according to letters sent on Monday. The department said the 60 institutions are ...The Hill - 1d -
Education Department to cut roughly half its staff
Around 3,000 people work in the department's Washington headquarters, and roughly 1,000 are staffed in 10 regional offices across the country.NBC News - 10h -
Education Department Fires 1,300 Workers, Gutting Its Staff
The layoffs mean that the department will now have a work force of about half the size it did when President Trump took office.The New York Times - 7h -
Tribes, Native American students sue over Bureau of Indian Education firings
The lawsuit was filed against the heads of the Interior Department, the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Office of Indian Education Programs.CBS News - 3d -
Education Department cutting nearly 50% of workforce
The Department of Education said staff affected by the job cuts would be placed on leave starting Friday, March 21.CBS News - 8h -
Department of Education lays off nearly half of workforce
The Department of Education announced Tuesday it was firing nearly half of its workforce, the latest Trump administration move to shrink the federal government that could face swift legal ...The Hill - 10h
More from The Hill
-
Judge declines to block DOGE from taking over African development agency
A federal judge on Tuesday declined to block the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from taking over the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF). U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ...The Hill - 4h -
Lutnick says Trump tariffs 'worth it' even if they lead to recession
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday that President Trump’s tariff policies will be worth it, even if the economy ends up in a recession. In an interview that aired Tuesday, CBS News’s ...The Hill - 5h -
Democrat wins special election for Minnesota state House seat
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) candidate David Gottfried is projected to win a special election for a seat in the Minnesota House, according to Decision Desk HQ. Gottfried, a pro bono ...The Hill - 5h -
GOP Rep. Mark Harris says Trump has done 'tremendous job' making case against Education Department
Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.) said on Tuesday that President Trump successfully made the case against the Department of Education during his 2024 campaign, leading more Republicans to support the ...The Hill - 5h -
Sununu on possible Senate bid: 'I have not ruled it out completely'
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said he is considering running for Senate after previously rejecting the possibility. “I have not ruled it out completely, but folks in Washington have ...The Hill - 7h
More in Politics
-
Judge declines to block DOGE from taking over African development agency
A federal judge on Tuesday declined to block the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) from taking over the U.S. African Development Foundation (USADF). U.S. District Judge Richard Leon ...The Hill - 4h -
Lutnick says Trump tariffs 'worth it' even if they lead to recession
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick said Tuesday that President Trump’s tariff policies will be worth it, even if the economy ends up in a recession. In an interview that aired Tuesday, CBS News’s ...The Hill - 5h -
Democrat wins special election for Minnesota state House seat
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) candidate David Gottfried is projected to win a special election for a seat in the Minnesota House, according to Decision Desk HQ. Gottfried, a pro bono ...The Hill - 5h -
GOP Rep. Mark Harris says Trump has done 'tremendous job' making case against Education Department
Rep. Mark Harris (R-N.C.) said on Tuesday that President Trump successfully made the case against the Department of Education during his 2024 campaign, leading more Republicans to support the ...The Hill - 5h -
Sununu on possible Senate bid: 'I have not ruled it out completely'
Former New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) said he is considering running for Senate after previously rejecting the possibility. “I have not ruled it out completely, but folks in Washington have ...The Hill - 7h