DOGE Implements Significant Cuts in Education Department Contracts. Institute of Education Sciences Faces Major Funding Reductions

DOGE Slashes $881 Million in Education Department Contracts 

Institute of Education Sciences Faces Major Funding Cuts

Funding for diversity programs and education research is set to be eliminated following a series of announcements Monday night detailing the future direction of the Education Department.

The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) confirmed via an X post that 89 contracts—amounting to $881 million—were canceled, though it did not specify which contracts were affected. Additionally, a separate post revealed that DOGE terminated 29 grants, valued at $101 million, that had supported diversity, equity, and inclusion training programs. One such grant was designed to equip teachers to "help students understand/interrogate the complex histories involved in oppression, and help students recognize areas of privilege and power on an individual and collective basis," according to the statement.

Sources familiar with the matter indicated that the Trump administration is discontinuing approximately 170 contracts related to the Education Department’s Institute of Education Sciences (IES).

These funding cuts come as President Trump prepares to sign an executive order this month aimed at dismantling the department. Meanwhile, Education Secretary nominee Linda McMahon is scheduled to testify before Congress on Thursday.

The American Institutes for Research (AIR), a nonprofit organization specializing in behavioral and social science studies, confirmed that multiple IES contracts under its administration were terminated on Monday. IES functions as an independent research division within the department, focusing on student learning outcomes, special education, and related topics.

"The money that has been invested in research, data, and evaluations that are nearing completion is now getting the taxpayers no return on their investment," said Dana Tofig, an AIR spokesperson, in a statement Monday. "If the point of this exercise is to make sure taxpayer dollars are not wasted and are used well, the evaluation and data work that has been terminated is exactly the work that determines which programs are effective uses of federal dollars, and which are not."

Requests for comment from the Education Department and DOGE went unanswered.