20 states, including Illinois, suing over Trump's Department of Education layoffs
Hannah HudnallDemocratic attorneys general from 20 states and the District of Columbia filed a lawsuit to block President Donald Trump's administration from dismantling the Department of Education.
The lawsuit was filed after the department announced its plans to lay off more than 1,300 of its employees as part of the agency's "final mission." The lawsuit seeks to halt what it labels "unconstitutional" layoffs.
What states are involved in the lawsuit?
The full list of states and districts joining together in the suit are listed below:
- Arizona
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Hawaii
- Illinois
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New York
- Oregon
- Rhode Island
- Washington
- Wisconsin
- Vermont
- District of Columbia.
What's happening to the Department of Education?
The Trump administration let go of roughly half of the Education Department staff through a combination of mass layoffs and voluntary buyouts, according to officials. More than 1,300 received termination notices after 572 accepted buyouts in the preceding weeks.
The move is part of the Trump administration's ongoing mission to reduce government spending, which has involved laying off tens of thousands of the nation's more than 2 million federal employees.
This dismantling of the Education Department has the potential to affect many aspects of the U.S. school system, including services offered for Spanish language students and students with disabilities.
Who is in charge of the Department of Education?
Billionaire GOP donor and former wrestling industry executive Linda McMahon was confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the next secretary of the U.S. Department of Education on March 3.
Terminations ruled unlawful by California judge
U.S. District Judge William Alsup ruled on March 13 that the Trump administration's firing of tens of thousands of probationary federal employees is unlawful. The San Francisco judge ordered six agencies – the departments of Defense, Veterans Affairs, Agriculture, Energy, Interior and Treasury – to offer job reinstatements for the terminated employees within the next week.
Alsup, who was appointed by former President Bill Clinton, said the U.S. Office of Personnel Management didn't have the authority to order the firings and was attempting to circumvent protections for federal workers by falsely citing "performance" as the reasoning behind the layoffs.
He declined to order the reinstatement of terminated employees at other government agencies targeted by union lawsuits across the country. Appeals against the ruling are likely.
What is the IDEA Act?
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, also known as the IDEA Act, is a law that ensures eligible children across the country with disabilities receive free appropriate public education, including special education and related services.
Though the law authorizes up to 40% of federal funding for special education services, the federal government currently provides less than 13%. The Trump administration's recent staff and funding cuts to the Department of Education have the potential to further impact these provisions, thereby affecting the law's protection for students with disabilities.
What's happening to student loans?
USA TODAY reported that the Federal Student Aid Office, which handles student loan and financial aid disbursement, was one of the government agencies most heavily impacted by the administration's mass layoffs.
Though the recently announced staff cuts are likely to affect the Education Department's processing times and ability to meet students' needs, its functions, such as federal financial aid distribution, are protected by laws created by Congress. For example, students in the U.S. are legally required to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.
If Trump follows through with his promise to shut down the Department of Education, which would take an act of Congress, its obligations under Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965 would have to be carried out elsewhere. This would include the disbursement of things like Pell Grants, which help lower-income students pay for college.