Week In Review: RIFs issued to further gut Education Department

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A widespread reduction in force initiated across the federal government by the Trump administration on Oct. 10 brought dramatic repercussions for several U.S. Education Department offices — including the Office of Special Education Programs. Court filings show that 466 Education Department employees received RIF notices — including most of the OSEP staff, several special education association leaders said.

On the federal front

• On Wednesday, a federal judge ordered the Trump administration to immediately stop the mass firing of federal employees during the current government shutdown caused by Congress’ impasse over fiscal year 2026 funding. The Trump administration cannot issue any additional RIF notices, and it cannot enforce the notices already issued, according to the ruling from Judge Susan Illston of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.
• The RIFs in question impacted 465 employees in Education Department offices that oversee civil rights, special education, student achievement supports, budgeting services, school safety, postsecondary education and more, according to the American Federation of Government Employees, a union representing more than 2,700 Education Department employees. The situation follows months of downsizing at the agency, which began the year with about 4,133 employees and was estimated to be at about 2,000 after the last round of RIFs. We broke down what you need to know.
• Democratic Reps. Mark DeSaulnier of California and Bobby Scott of Virginia are urging Republican leadership on the House Education and Workforce Committee to hold a hearing on gun violence in schools. “Because of frequent tragedies like these, students often feel unsafe in school, which can have negative consequences for their engagement level and mental health,” said a letter sent by the lawmakers Oct. 14 to committee Chair Tim Walberg, R-Mich. The letter cited data from Everytown for Gun Safety showing 118 incidents of gunfire on school grounds in 2025, leading to 36 deaths and 108 injuries.

Curriculum in the spotlight

• Elementary and middle school students are showing modest math recovery but are stagnating in reading compared to pre-pandemic performances, according to an analysis of MAP Growth assessment data released Tuesday by NWEA, an assessment and research organization. The math recovery can be seen across grades 3-8 and among historically underserved students. In reading, the lack of progress appeared across race, ethnicity and school poverty levels.
• Students with disabilities at Metro School in Charlotte, North Carolina, are working on life skills that will eventually transfer to the workplace in a newly opened cafe for staff and visitors. The Metro School Cafe is a hands-on learning environment where student workers prepare and sell baked goods and coffee, serve customers and manage operations. The initiative is part of the Community Based Instruction and Community Based Training programs at Metro School, a public school serving about 250 students with cognitive disabilities, ages 3 to 22. 
• Whether you’re in the classroom or a meeting, being on the receiving end of a cold call can be anxiety inducing. How can schools ensure that cold-calling on students is constructive, done equitably and occurs in a safe environment? One answer is for educators to cultivate a warm classroom culture where it’s clear students aren’t being put on the spot and don’t need to have a ready answer for a given question, said Victor Pereira, co-chair of the Teaching and Teacher Leadership Program at Harvard Graduate School of Education.