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CBS News
21-05-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Maryland judge considers whether to block DOGE cuts to Department of Education research and jobs
A Maryland judge is weighing whether to block cuts that impact the Department of Education's research and its jobs. The Trump administration's cuts to the Department of Education took center stage at federal court in Maryland on Wednesday, with those who rely on research fighting to get contracts reinstated and stop workers from losing their jobs. The cuts hit the Institute of Education Sciences, the research arm of the Department of Education, including some programs mandated by federal statutes. The plaintiffs said Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency, also known as DOGE, came in with a wrecking ball in February and cut off funding with "sweeping, arbitrary" actions, slicing staff to the bone. CBS News Baltimore Education research, jobs cut Rachel Dinkes, the president and CEO of the Knowledge Alliance, said many of her members have been affected by the cuts. That is why she closely watched arguments in the Baltimore courtroom as Judge Stephanie Gallagher weighs granting a temporary injunction to force the Trump administration to reinstate some of the 89 contracts worth nearly $900 million that DOGE abruptly slashed earlier this year. "At a time when our nation had a report card with some of the lowest math and reading scores is not the time to turn our back on knowing what works for kids," Dinkes said. Plaintiffs who rely on that research sued and said online access has been cut off. Projects that have lasted years, some that taxpayers have already funded with tens of millions of dollars, have abruptly ended. The plaintiffs claim the Trump administration's actions are illegal in part because Congress authorized the spending. "The administration had a DOGE staffer come in and order a mass contract cancellation, terminating almost all the work that the agency was carrying out—and then they designated 90% of the staff for termination," said Daniel McGrath, an attorney for plaintiffs with Democracy Forward. "Now, the Trump administration is coming in and saying that they should not be held accountable for those actions." McGrath continued, "They don't really need to carry out those functions. They have no plan to do so, and our clients are associations of education, researchers who do really important public-interest work to figure out what is going to give our kids better opportunities in the future. And they are bringing this case to ensure that our students and our children have a better future." Government attorneys admitted they had few specifics. They did not dispute the cuts and lack of online access to crucial research. Trump on the Department of Education In Maryland, there have been numerous protests over cuts to federal programs. Two months ago, the president signed an executive order to begin dismantling the Department of Education. "We're going to shut it down. Shut it down. It's doing us no good. We want to return our services to the states," President Trump said in March. What's next? Judge Gallagher declined to immediately restore all contracts and jobs. She said that it is too broad, but the judge signaled that federally mandated programs must continue, and she was open to reinstating some of what had been cut if it is required by statute. Gallagher ordered the government to provide contracts to the plaintiffs by next week to narrow their argument and said she would likely rule on an injunction by early next month when terminations at the Department of Education are set to take effect. "We're optimistic that the judge was receptive to those arguments and they are going to be litigated expeditiously," McGrath said. Dinkes stressed this is not a partisan issue. "Many parents in this country want to know how to help our child succeed. Why terminate a contract that was helping us learn just that?" Dinkes said. You can read more about what the Department of Education does here.
Boston Globe
12-02-2025
- Business
- Boston Globe
DOGE cuts $900 million from agency that tracks American students' academic progress
Advocates for students raised alarms the cuts could hurt the accountability of America's education system, leaving the nation in the dark about schools′ effectiveness. Historically, achievement gaps have shown low-income students and students of color falling behind their peers. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The cuts are counterproductive and destructive, said Rachel Dinkes, CEO of the Knowledge Alliance, a coalition of education research firms. Advertisement 'Cutting out at the knees the one independent agency that helps improve student outcomes is ridiculous,' Dinkes said. 'Education is the economic engine that fuels the US economy, and everything they cut is what helps make our education system better.' Biedermann declined to share the names of vendors whose contracts were cut. In response to questions, she referred to a social media post from DOGE that said Musk's team had terminated 89 contracts worth $881 million, including $1.5 million to a contractor hired to 'observe mailing and clerical operations' at a mail center. Another post said 29 grants totaling $101 million for training in diversity, equity, and inclusion had been cut. The Institute of Education Sciences is a central source of information on the health of America's education system. Across the country, it tracks student progress over time and across demographics. It evaluates the effectiveness of federal programs, and colleges and schools rely on its research to improve student outcomes. Among the contracts being cut is a study exploring how to accelerate math learning for students in fourth and fifth grade. Known as ReSolve, the project was led by research group MDRC. A federal notice obtained by the Associated Press ordered MDRC to halt the project immediately 'for the government's convenience.' Advertisement Last month, IES released the latest NAEP results, revealing that America's children have continued to lose ground on reading skills and made little improvement in math in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Congress gave the institute about $800 million last year, roughly 1 percent of the Education Department's annual budget.
