Supreme Court Greenlights Trump-Era Education Overhaul—Mass Layoffs Move Forward Amid Department Shutdown Push

In a decision that could reshape the future of American education policy, the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday gave the green light for the Trump administration to move ahead with sweeping layoffs at the Department of Education—paving the way for what many critics say is the first step toward its eventual closure.

In a 6-3 ruling split along ideological lines, the court issued a stay in McMahon v. State of New York, pausing a lower court's order that had reinstated roughly 1,400 Education Department employees. The move effectively allows the Trump administration to continue its reduction in force while legal challenges proceed.

The decision stems from lawsuits filed by 20 Democratic-led states, who argue that President Donald Trump’s March executive order—combined with Education Secretary Linda McMahon’s mass layoffs—signals an unlawful attempt to dismantle the federal agency without Congressional approval.

“The administration’s record abundantly reveals its true intention is to effectively dismantle the Department without an authorizing statute,” the plaintiffs argued in filings to the high court.

The Trump administration countered that the agency’s core responsibilities will continue to be fulfilled, and that only Congress can formally eliminate the department’s statutory functions. Secretary McMahon echoed this, assuring that services to K–12 students, borrowers, and special needs communities would not be interrupted.

“Closing the Department does not mean cutting off funds from those who depend on them,” McMahon said in March. “We’re going to follow the law and eliminate the bureaucracy responsibly by working through Congress.”

The dissenting justices, however, saw the move differently. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing for the minority, sharply criticized the ruling.

“When the Executive publicly announces its intent to break the law, and then executes on that promise, it is the Judiciary’s duty to check that lawlessness, not expedite it,” she wrote.

On Monday, McMahon welcomed the Court's decision, calling it “a mandate to restore excellence in American education.”

“As we return education to the states,” she said, “this administration will continue to perform all statutory duties while empowering families and teachers by reducing education bureaucracy.”

🏫 MainEvent.News | Editor’s Take:

This ruling marks a significant moment in President Trump’s second-term agenda to decentralize federal power—this time striking at the heart of national education policy. While the administration insists its actions are lawful and geared toward streamlining, critics argue this could be a dismantling in disguise. With thousands of federal jobs on the line and the future of federal education funding in flux, the political and legal battle is just beginning—and it could have ripple effects across classrooms nationwide.