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The US Supreme Court has authorised the Trump administration to proceed with mass layoffs at the Department of Education, paving the way for the termination of nearly 1,400 employees, approximately one-third of the agency’s staff. The court’s conservative majority reversed a lower court decision that had previously paused the layoffs and ordered worker reinstatements.

Education Secretary Linda McMahon welcomed the decision, calling it a “significant win” that will enable her to carry out President Donald Trump’s executive order. That order seeks to dismantle the Education Department “to the maximum extent permitted by law,” reflecting Trump’s long-held stance on reducing the federal government's role in education and shifting authority back to the states.

Liberal Justices Warn Of Constitutional Breach

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by Justices Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson, issued a sharply worded dissent. She accused the majority of condoning executive overreach, writing that the decision “usurps Congress’s power” by effectively allowing the elimination of a federal agency established through legislation.

“This is not administrative reform—it is lawlessness,” Sotomayor wrote. She warned the layoffs would severely hinder enforcement of civil rights protections, support for students with disabilities, and anti-discrimination initiatives, adding that the administration’s goal appears to be the “unlawful dismantling” of a key federal agency.

Schools And States Brace for Fallout

The decision has prompted alarm among state governments and educators. Twenty-one Democratic-led states, along with major teachers' unions, had filed suit to block the layoffs, arguing that critical educational programs were at risk. They pointed to disruptions in managing the $1.6 trillion federal student loan portfolio, diminished support for special education, and reduced funding for schools serving low-income communities.

In Massachusetts, education officials warned of cascading effects, including delays in student financial aid and potential teacher layoffs. A union spokesperson described the move as “gutting our capacity to protect students.”

Broader Federal Cuts Gaining Pace

The ruling comes on the heels of a separate Supreme Court decision last week that upheld President Trump’s broader plan to reduce the federal workforce, a central pillar of his promise to “dismantle the administrative state.” The Education Department’s downsizing blueprint includes transferring student loan oversight to the Small Business Administration and shifting disability services to the Department of Health and Human Services.