Elon Musk’s cost-cutting team has announced significant cuts to the US Department of Education, totaling over $900 million. The majority of these cuts are aimed at hobbling the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which is responsible for research on best practices in education. The IES’s portfolio includes Education Innovation and Research grants and review projects associated with the What Works Clearinghouse.
The sudden move has sparked alarm among researchers and lawmakers, who see the information assembled by the department as a valuable resource for educators working to improve teaching methods. Senator Patty Murray has denounced the cuts, calling them “wasteful” and comparing education research to medical research, which relies heavily on private sector funding from pharmaceutical companies.
The cuts have also raised concerns about privacy and data access. A Federal District Court judge in Washington temporarily restricted members of Musk’s team from gaining access to sensitive student information, such as tax return information, Social Security numbers, or income data, due to potential harm to students.
Musk’s cost-cutting team has been operating in relative secrecy since it was established, and its actions have sparked controversy. The team has scrutinized the agency’s budget and operations, leading some staff members to express concerns about upheaval. A lawyer for the Justice Department said that the team had not been briefed on whether members of Musk’s team had actual access to sensitive student information.
The move has significant implications for education research and policy in the US, highlighting the need for transparency and accountability in government agencies.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/11/us/politics/musk-doge-education-data.html