Staffing Changes at the U.S. Department of Education in 2025: What the Federal Workforce Data Suggests for Financial Aid Administration
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| Title: | Staffing Changes at the U.S. Department of Education in 2025: What the Federal Workforce Data Suggests for Financial Aid Administration |
|---|---|
| Language: | English |
| Authors: | National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) |
| Source: | National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 2026. |
| Availability: | National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. 1101 Connecticut Avenue NW Suite 1100, Washington, DC 20036. Tel: 202-785-0453; Fax: 202-785-1487; e-mail: membership@NASFAA.org; Web site: http://www.nasfaa.org |
| Peer Reviewed: | N |
| Page Count: | 11 |
| Publication Date: | 2026 |
| Document Type: | Reports - Research Numerical/Quantitative Data |
| Descriptors: | Public Agencies, Federal Government, Government Employees, Job Layoff, Student Financial Aid, Federal Aid, Labor Force, Student Financial Aid Officers, Individual Characteristics, Educational Attainment |
| Abstract: | In March 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) initiated a reduction-in-force (RIF), alongside broader federal actions and proposals that signaled major potential changes to ED's staffing and operations. During the same period, ED staffing levels and capacity were also shaped by other dynamics beyond RIFs, including the transition to a new presidential administration and ED leadership in January 2025, the government-wide federal hiring freeze issued on January 20, 2025, voluntary departures, including resignations and retirements; participation in OPM's Deferred Resignation Program (DRP), and subsequent operational shifts such as regional office closures and the reallocation of certain ED functions through interagency agreements. In response, NASFAA conducted two membership surveys to understand how these developments affected institutional operations, staffing, and student service. To complement our member-reported impacts, NASFAA's Research Department analyzed U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) workforce data to examine net changes in ED headcount and workforce composition between December 2024 and December 2025, and to consider how staffing shifts at ED may affect members in both the near and long term. This report utilizes findings from that analysis and the OPM Workforce Changes Dashboard, covering January 20, 2025-December 2025. |
| Abstractor: | As Provided |
| Entry Date: | 2026 |
| Accession Number: | ED680041 |
| Database: | ERIC |
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