The U.S. Department of Education has recently come under scrutiny for its financial decisions regarding the Office for Civil Rights (OCR). A report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) reveals that the department spent between $28.5 million and $38 million on salaries and benefits for OCR employees who were on administrative leave from March to December 2025.
During this period, OCR staff, responsible for investigating civil rights complaints, were placed on leave as part of a Reduction in Force (RIF) amid ongoing legal disputes involving the Trump administration. While these legal challenges unfolded, the department’s action resulted in a growing backlog of discrimination complaints.
The GAO report, which can be accessed here, highlights the scale of the issue. By December, the department decided to reinstate the affected employees, with a formal rescission of the RIFs occurring in early January.
Handling of Complaints
Despite the administrative upheaval, the department managed to resolve over 7,000 of the more than 9,000 discrimination complaints received between March and September, as stated by the GAO. However, the watchdog noted that about 90% of these complaints were dismissed, a significant increase from previous years when dismissal rates ranged from 49% to 81%.
The GAO criticized the department for not publicly providing comprehensive information about the costs and potential savings associated with its RIF actions, urging the department to document and disclose these estimates.
Efforts to decentralize education, with a focus on returning control to the states, have been a hallmark of Trump’s education policy. This includes attempts to scale back the department’s 46-year history.
Reactions and Criticism
Kimberly Richey, Assistant Secretary for the OCR, responded to the GAO’s draft report by stating that the issue was now “moot,” citing the department’s decision to reinstate OCR employees and revoke the RIFs.
However, this explanation did not satisfy all critics. Senator Bernie Sanders, who requested the GAO investigation, condemned the expenditure as “unacceptable,” asserting that it hindered the protection of students’ civil rights and wasted taxpayer dollars. “Every child in America should be able to get a good education no matter where they live, what their religious beliefs are or whether or not they have a disability,” Sanders emphasized.
Rachel Gittleman, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, criticized the administration’s approach, stating that it allowed political motives to interfere with the department’s duty to protect students’ rights. She further accused Education Secretary Linda McMahon of prioritizing politics over the department’s mission.
The Department of Education has yet to issue a public comment in response to these criticisms.
