The U.S. Department of Education is grappling with substantial budget cuts, following the Department of Government Efficiency's (DOGE) decision on Monday to terminate nearly $1 billion in research contracts.
DOGE, headed by Elon Musk, announced the termination of 89 contracts, totaling $881 million. These contracts were essential to the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which played a critical role in collecting and analyzing data on American education.
Also today, the Department Of Education terminated 89 contracts worth $881mm.
— Department of Government Efficiency (@DOGE) February 11, 2025
One contractor was paid $1.5mm to "observe mailing and clerical operations" at a mail center." https://t.co/VaAw1vNAoa
DOGE also canceled 29 additional "DEI training grants," which amounted to $101 million.
The 45-year-old department has been targeted for cuts as President Donald Trump and his administration press forward with major efforts to reduce federal government spending.
Impact on educational research
The cuts effectively ended the work of IES, which included the National Center for Education Statistics, responsible for gathering crucial data about schools across the U.S. and around the world, USA Today reported.
The canceled contracts also resulted in the discontinuation of major research initiatives such as the What Works Clearinghouse, a resource for educators, and the School Pulse Panel, which tracked K-12 school trends starting 2021. In total, 169 education research contracts were axed, which would effectively end nearly all the institute's work.
Critics argue that these decisions will severely hinder the ability of the Education Department's research division and its ability to gather key data on U.S. schools, leaving a gap in understanding the institutions' performances and trends.
A memo from the DOGE team stated that the legality of its cost-cutting measures was not considered in their decisions.
Programs that survived the cuts
Despite the widespread reductions, some key programs were spared from termination. The National Assessment of Educational Progress, also known as the "Nation's Report Card," was saved, along with the College Scorecard. The latter is a tool designed, during the Obama era, to help students assess the value of university programs. Another platform, College Navigator, which offered similar information, also escaped the cuts.
Widespread criticism
The cuts have sparked widespread concern among educators and lawmakers. Michael Itzkowitz, who played a role in creating the College Scorecard, warned that the loss of essential research could jeopardize the U.S.'s global competitiveness.
"We don't want consumers to have more information about buying the best blender than they do about attending an institution of higher education," he said.
Senator Patty Murray, a Democrat from Washington, condemned DOGE's actions, arguing that they were damaging to the future of American education.
"An unelected billionaire is now bulldozing the research arm of the Department of Education — taking a wrecking ball to high-quality research and basic data we need to improve our public schools. Cutting off these investments after the contract has already been inked is the definition of wasteful," Murray pointed out, adding, "Musk doesn't care if working class kids in America get a good education, so whittling down the Department of Education means nothing to him."
