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USA Today
16-03-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
Waste, fraud and abuse may increase at schools after Trump cuts
Waste, fraud and abuse may increase at schools after Trump cuts Fired Education Department workers and former high-ranking officials say the Trump administration's vow to increase government efficiency flies in the face of major cuts. Show Caption Hide Caption 'Makes me cry': Teachers, students react to Education Dept. cuts Former students and teachers are reacting to the Trump administration's funding cuts and layoffs at the Department of Education. In his first two months back at the White House, President Donald Trump has railed against rampant 'waste, fraud and abuse' across the government. That criticism, based in many cases on false and misleading claims about federal workers and programs, has fueled sweeping cuts. Another dramatic round of layoffs came last week when Trump staffers announced they'd slashed the workforce in half at the U.S. Department of Education. Linda McMahon, the newly installed education secretary, said Tuesday the cuts will eliminate 'bureaucratic bloat.' Experts predict they'll significantly impact students and teachers nationwide. 'Today's reduction in force reflects the Department of Education's commitment to efficiency, accountability, and ensuring that resources are directed where they matter most,' McMahon said in a statement last week. Gutting the agency may actually have the opposite effect, according to laid-off workers and former high-ranking officials. In interviews and social media posts, they argued that firing the watchdogs whose job is to hold schools accountable will hurt students who need help the most, while opening the door to predatory behavior. 'If there is waste, fraud and abuse, this administration has now eliminated the very agency that would provide oversight for that,' said attorney Sheria Smith, one of the hundreds of employees fired from the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights on Tuesday. Last week offered a troubling glimpse into what critics view as the potential fallout. The Federal Student Aid office, which disburses federal student loans and Pell Grants, lost over 300 people to layoffs, a preliminary union tally shows (that estimate doesn't include nonunion members or supervisors). Student loan experts, technology specialists and people who investigate colleges were dismissed. The day after the losses, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, experienced a massive outage. The Education Department said the glitch wasn't related to the cuts. Read more: Education Dept. layoffs by the numbers: Which staff were ousted, where cuts hit hardest In addition, the office that tracks student progress and administers funding for studies about the effectiveness of federal education programs was eliminated 'wholesale,' Smith said. Trump officials have promised those key offices can still fulfill their functions, which are mandated by Congress. Yet it's unclear to employees and concerned observers how that will be possible. Democratic state attorneys general and disability rights advocates have sued, saying the cuts breach the limits of the executive branch under federal law. As schools enter a new era with less oversight, the implications for students may be hard to monitor, said Brittany Coleman, a Dallas-based civil rights attorney who was laid off. 'We're now about to be on the honor system,' she said. FAFSA outage: 'These issues could continue' As the Education Department's workload has grown, Congress hasn't meaningfully increased its budget, prompting longstanding concerns about understaffing. For that reason, officials at the agency often turn to outside contractors to carry out much of their work. That reliance can create problems. Last year offered a prime example: A series of issues with the FAFSA prompted massive delays in the enrollment process for both colleges and students. Under former President Joe Biden, the Federal Student Aid office, which oversees the FAFSA, was reorganized. The goal was, in part, to help make the form function more smoothly. And the revisions worked, Miguel Cardona, Biden's education secretary, told USA TODAY in January. The FAFSA got back on track. Last week, the newly reformed office was gutted. James Kvaal, Biden's top higher education official, was alarmed to learn important divisions had been reduced to skeleton staffs or scrapped, jeopardizing the entire federal financial aid system. Read more: On his way out the door, a top Biden official has worries 'All of our efforts to ensure those kinds of mistakes are not made again have been reversed,' he said. "These issues could continue to happen," said Edward James, a laid-off Federal Student Aid staffer who is vice president of the local union representing Education Department workers. His colleagues, he said, were "the glue that helps hold things together." How the Education Department prevents fraud and abuse The Education Department plays a significant role in ensuring that schools are deterred from taking advantage of students or discriminating against them. Fulfilling those dual missions will be tough with fewer personnel, employees said. On Tuesday, one key office that regulates colleges dropped from 192 staffers to 29 in minutes, a laid-off employee posted on social media. Kevin Roberts, an institutional review specialist dismissed last week, called it a 'guaranteed fact' that some colleges will be forced to close or lose eligibility for federal financial aid because of the downsizing. 'Linda McMahon has basically given 4,000 institutions plus foreign schools the green light to waste, abuse, and create fraud with Federal Financial Aid dollars with zero oversight,' he wrote on LinkedIn. The Office for Civil Rights, a vital watchdog for abuse, shuttered seven regional offices across the country, from New York City to San Francisco. It's a huge deal, said Catherine Lhamon, who led civil rights enforcement in schools in the Biden administration. Those regional offices exist, she said, so that attorneys can develop relationships with school lawyers, administrators and communities. The on-the-ground support ultimately speeds up investigations, solving students' problems more quickly. 'The department has so gutted the offices that they're a sham now,' she said. Three days after Trump officials fired hundreds of staffers in the civil rights division, the Education Department ordered sweeping new investigations of six colleges accused of offering 'impermissible race-based scholarships.' The new cases represent a 'dangerous' reorientation of the office Lhamon led for years, she said. In her view, its sole focus now seems to be "pet projects for political leadership.' Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@ Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @
USA Today
13-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Should you get a tax refund? Here's what to know about withholdings, estimated payments
Should you get a tax refund? Here's what to know about withholdings, estimated payments Show Caption Hide Caption 'Makes me cry': Teachers, students react to Education Dept. cuts Former students and teachers are reacting to the Trump administration's funding cuts and layoffs at the Department of Education. Receiving a big refund at tax time may feel like getting a windfall, but you probably know the old advice that you shouldn't give an interest-free loan to the government. Yet tax and finance professionals say it's a bit more nuanced than those two options. With some caveats, they say, most people should withhold or make estimated payments throughout the year that get them as close to what they will eventually owe as possible. 'I typically don't want our clients to be getting a huge refund,' said David Alvarez, a financial advisor with PAX Financial Group, in San Antonio, TEXAS. 'If you're overpaying, it's not like the government pays it back with interest. You obviously don't want to be surprised with a huge tax bill, and there could be penalties for underpayment. So as close as you can get to net zero is ideal.' "As close as you can get" may sound simple, but it also means knowing what your tax bill will be. 'It's frustrating that it's not straightforward at this point,' Alvarez said. 'It really should be something that you know, that the government knows, everybody knows what you owe. It shouldn't be a mystery. Oh, my god, I owe $10,000. Oh, I'm getting a check back for $5,000.' If it is a mystery to you – say you've had some changes in your personal or work life – you might want to invest in some professional help in the future. Having a good sense of your tax liability throughout the year is also important if you ever need to file for an extension, said Dan Hoicowitz, a CPA with Cleveland-based Larry Hoicowitz CPA. More: Can you still get reimbursed for 2024 benefits plans? Here's what to know On the other hand, if you know you're bad at saving, siphoning off a little more than necessary with every paycheck can be a helpful hack, said Rachel Elson, a San Francisco based wealth adviser at Perigon Wealth Management. 'But if you're going to do that, then you have to commit to doing something productive with the refund money,' Elson told USA TODAY. What does 'productive' mean? Use that money to get your financial house in order, whatever that means for your unique situation. If you have debt, pay that down first, since the interest you're paying to a lender is undoubtedly higher than anything you'd receive from a savings account or other investments, Elson said. If not, start or make more payments to an emergency fund. You could also fund an individual retirement account, including for the year just ended if you're doing it before the April 15 deadline. If you're going to use the money for savings, make sure it's a high yield savings account, Elson added.
USA Today
13-03-2025
- Business
- USA Today
Federal agencies owe Trump their layoffs plans today. How quickly will cuts come?
Federal agencies owe Trump their layoffs plans today. How quickly will cuts come? Show Caption Hide Caption 'Makes me cry': Teachers, students react to Education Dept. cuts Former students and teachers are reacting to the Trump administration's funding cuts and layoffs at the Department of Education. Thursday is the deadline for federal agencies and departments to give the Trump administration their plans for large-scale layoffs, and the details about how many people will be fired are expected to leak out throughout the day. The mass layoff notices come as the Republican-controlled Congress fights over funding the government to avoid a shutdown on Friday. Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has ratcheted up tariff threats against America's allies, including Canada and the European Union, and they have responded, in turn, with steep tariffs. The back-and-forth has sparked uncertainty among U.S. stocks – and fears of a recession. In an effort led by billionaire Elon Musk and his Department Of Government Efficiency aides, more than 100,000 federal employees have already lost their jobs in the last two months through layoffs of probationary employees, who are new to government work or recently moved between agencies or accepted a promotion. Another about 75,000 federal employees accepted the original buyout offer Trump extended shortly after he took office. It remains unclear how many of the about 2 million federal employees spread out across the country could lose their jobs under the new layoff plans, called a "reduction in force" or RIF. The memo ordering agencies to produce the reduction in force plans called for 'a significant reduction.' Agencies can whittle down personnel through layoffs, attrition, removal of underperforming employees or renegotiation of collective bargaining agreements. What are the agencies' plans for reducing workforce? The White House has so far declined to talk about when the public will see the plans due anytime on Thursday to the Office of Personnel Management, however, the target numbers of layoffs for each agency and perhaps even location are expected to leak throughout the day and coming weeks as employees get word of them. The layoffs do not have to occur on Thursday. There is no specific deadline by which agencies must deliver the news that targeted employees' jobs will end within 30 or 60 days. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters Wednesday that details on the terminations would be available after Thursday's deadline. 'This is a goal that every Cabinet secretary across the board agrees with,' Leavitt said. 'We have to reduce our workforce. We have to make our bureaucracy more efficient. And then, when the March 13 deadline hits, we can talk about that then.' More: Trump's mass federal workforce cuts: What has happened so far Some of these plans have already been put in motion. About half of Department of Education employees were laid off Wednesday. That same day the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began notifying 1,068 civilian employees that they were eligible for a buyout. Earlier in the week USA TODAY also learned that the Department of Veterans Affairs was laying off about 16% or 76,000 workers. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is laying off more than 1,000 people, or about 20% of its staff. Likewise, NASA told employees Monday it would shutter three offices, including the office of the chief scientist. Downsizing government Although Trump's efforts to downsize the government have focused largely on federal workers, it's worth noting that the size of the federal workforce hasn't substantially changed since the late 1960s, when there were about 2 million federal employees, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. More: How Trump and Musk have sought greater control over federal employees The government has consistently employed between 1.8 and 2.4 million people over the past 60 years. Over the same period, the U.S. population grew nearly 40 percent, from 203 million in 1970 to 331 million in 2020. Federal employees work and live in all 50 states. Only about 15% percent live in Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area. Layoffs of probationary employees have already resulted in protests around the country, including at national parks.
USA Today
08-03-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
'See you in court': Trump moves to revise eligibility for some student loan forgiveness
'See you in court': Trump moves to revise eligibility for some student loan forgiveness The president signed an order that would order the education secretary to propose changing some terms, which are already codified in federal law, of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Show Caption Hide Caption Trump wants Education secretary to 'put herself out of a job' President Donald Trump told reporters that Linda McMahon, his nominee to lead the Education Dept., should eventually "put herself out of a job." WASHINGTON – President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order attempting to begin the process of altering the terms of a major student loan relief program. The move, which directs the education secretary to go forward with revising a law passed by Congress, pleased some conservatives while angering student loan borrowers and advocates, who vowed to launch a court challenge. The proposal would affect the Public Service Loan Forgiveness, or PSLF, program, which was created by Congress in 2007 to ease the student debt burdens of Americans in public service-oriented careers. Under the program, government workers, nurses, firefighters and certain nonprofit employees are eligible to have their federal student loan debt canceled in full after 10 years of on-time payments. The order tells the education secretary to begin drafting new regulations to revise the definition of "public service" to exclude organizations that "engage in activities that have a substantial illegal purpose." The scope of those activities includes groups that are "aiding or abetting" violations of immigration law, "supporting terrorism," contributing to gender-affirming care or engaging in a pattern of "violating state laws." Speaking beside Trump in the Oval Office on Friday, Kevin Hassett, the director of the National Economic Council, said the executive order would alter PSLF eligibility for certain employees the administration deems have been engaged in "improper activities." "The problem is that a lot of these people work for NGO organizations or nonprofit organizations that engage in illegal, what we consider to be improper, activities," he said, "supporting, for example, illegal immigration or foreign terrorist organizations." The eligibility terms for PSLF were set by Congress. Under the Constitution, laws can only be substantively changed through Congress, via amendments or new laws. Trump cannot alter the Education Department rules governing PSLF with just an executive order. He is legally required to go through a lengthy regulatory process to make changes. Aaron Ament, the president of the National Student Legal Defense Network, criticized the Trump administration in a statement Friday. The PSLF program was a bipartisan law signed by President George W. Bush, he said, and it has endured several presidential administrations. 'Threatening to punish hardworking Americans for their employers' perceived political views is about as flagrant a violation of the First Amendment as you can imagine," he said. "If the Trump administration follows through on this threat, they can plan to see us in court.' The PSLF program was mismanaged for years, including during Trump's first term, until Joe Biden assumed the presidency. Under Biden, the U.S. Department of Education approved billions of dollars in debt for more than 1 million PSLF borrowers. The milestone was reached by the administration just before Trump reclaimed the White House in November. Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@ Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @
USA Today
04-03-2025
- Politics
- USA Today
The Trump administration gave schools a DEI ultimatum – then walked it back
The Trump administration gave schools a DEI ultimatum – then walked it back A top Education Department official denied the implication that the agency has shifted its guidance about racial diversity in schools. 'There has been no walk back,' he said. Show Caption Hide Caption Trump wants Education secretary to 'put herself out of a job' President Donald Trump told reporters that Linda McMahon, his nominee to lead the Education Dept., should eventually "put herself out of a job." In mid-February, the Trump administration told tens of thousands of K-12 schools and colleges they had until Feb. 28 to comply with a sweeping and vague order to root out diversity, equity and inclusion on their campuses. Over the weekend, the U.S. Department of Education issued new guidance softening that mandate and reversing course on some of its broadest requests. In a 'frequently asked questions' document posted Saturday morning after the deadline, the department's Office for Civil Rights walked back its directive, saying not all DEI initiatives actually violate the initial instructions. A program or policy isn't unlawful just because it uses the terms 'diversity,' 'equity' or 'inclusion,' the new federal guidance says. Cultural and historical observances – including Black History Month and International Holocaust Remembrance Day – won't be discouraged either. Perhaps most notably, the Education Department acknowledged the federal government doesn't have the power to dictate school curriculum. In a statement to USA TODAY on Monday, Craig Trainor, the acting assistant secretary for civil rights, said the 'frequently asked questions' document issued over the weekend and the initial directions provide guidance on the law. He denied the implication that the Education Department had altered its policies. 'There has been no walk back,' he said. Feb. 14 mandate Top agency officials sowed confusion nationwide when they announced last month that the Trump administration's new interpretation of longstanding civil rights laws prohibited schools reliant on federal funding from considering race in a broad array of decisions related to American schooling. Included in the mandate were choices about 'admissions, hiring, promotion, compensation, financial aid, scholarships, prizes, administrative support, discipline, housing, graduation ceremonies, and all other aspects of student, academic, and campus life.' Read more: Trump gave schools 2 weeks to ban DEI. Lawyers say it's not that simple. Osamudia James, a professor at the University of North Carolina School of Law, said the point of the order was to 'scare and chill' schools. 'Every dollar you spend litigating these issues is money that does not go to supporting students who need it,' she said. In the weeks since, universities have shuttered DEI offices, scrubbed websites and ceased supporting some marginalized student groups. K-12 school districts from Kentucky to Montana have opened compliance audits into their practices. A prominent teachers union sued the Trump administration challenging all the changes last week. Ray Li, an attorney in the Education Department's civil rights office during the Biden administration, called this weekend's clarification of its guidance a 'retreat back to some legal standards.' It contrasts sharply, he said, with the administration's initial posture, which he called 'really troubling.' 'Hopefully, schools take that information and realize that just because something deals with race doesn't mean it violates the law,' he said. 'Even this administration recognizes that.' Can students write about race in college essays? The revised guidance resolved a lot of the befuddlement among school administrators. But many still have questions about the types of policies and programs that could put them in the crosshairs of the federal officials under President Donald Trump's leadership. For example, colleges don't know how to word their admissions essay questions. When the Supreme Court outlawed race-conscious admissions in 2023, Chief Justice John Roberts left room in his majority opinion for applicants to write to universities about their racial backgrounds. 'Nothing in this opinion should be construed as prohibiting universities from considering an applicant's discussion of how race affected his or her life, be it through discrimination, inspiration, or otherwise,' he wrote. The Education Department, on the other hand, has taken a more extreme view about students being forthcoming in their essays. On Saturday, the agency said schools that 'craft essay prompts in a way that require applicants to disclose their race are illegally attempting to do indirectly what cannot be done directly.' Jonathan Feingold, a legal scholar at Boston University, said those interpretations of the Supreme Court's ban on race-conscious admissions are part of a broader conservative strategy. 'There is an effort to rhetorically overstate the holding,' he said, 'so that institutions are overcomplying.' Common DEI initiatives are still legally defensible, he and other law faculty wrote in a memo to college presidents on Feb. 20. Education Department launches 'EndDEI' portal Since Trump took office, the federal Education Department has taken several steps to punish agency staffers and the schools they oversee for promoting diversity. The most recent example came Thursday when the department launched a new online portal called The webpage's purpose, according to an announcement, would be to encourage students and teachers to 'submit reports of discrimination based on race or sex in publicly-funded K-12 schools.' Read more: After monthlong pause, Trump admin resumes investigating disability complaints at schools However, the agency's civil rights office has long suffered from limited staffing and an increasing workload. Amid buyouts and the threat of a 'very significant' workforce reduction across the Education Department, it's unlikely that the division's capacity to investigate complaints will improve anytime soon. Zachary Schermele is an education reporter for USA TODAY. You can reach him by email at zschermele@ Follow him on X at @ZachSchermele and Bluesky at @
