How Department of Education staff cuts could impact students

A Department of Education employee is raising concerns over the impact massive layoffs will have on students.

For example, how can it be measured if students are learning or what schools need money if there’s no one to collect the data?

“What happens now?” said Sarah Newman, an analyst with the Department of Education.

That’s just one of the questions thousands of federal workers like Newman find themselves asking these days.

“What I love about data is that it is never one story…” Newman said.

For the last 13 years, she’s worked at the Department of Education in the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education managing data and making sure federal money is going to the right places and spent properly.

“So we’ll get like participation data on the children that are ultimately being served through Title I, through our homeless education program, our rural programs…” she said. “The statewide assessments in mathematics, reading, language arts and science, we have those data, graduation rates, chronic absenteeism.”

But Tuesday night, her entire team and most of her colleagues in data collection and research became casualties of the department’s reduction in force, or as she called it, getting “RIFfed”

“Everybody, I think, except for the actual chief data officer has been laid off…” Newman said. “It really is quite shocking to have your career sort of be there one day and not another day.”

Now, one day after News4 cameras caught security guards locking the front doors as employees left with their belongings and nearly 50% of staff was laid off, Newman said she has countless concerns about the impact on students.

“How can we actually administer the Title I grant money without these data?” she said.

According to the departments’ announcement, employees like Newman will officially be placed on leave next Friday, but she says she’s already locked out of her network. For example, a website she manages that tracks most of the data and grants is basically frozen.

“Logistically, I don't know what to do with the work I was doing yesterday…” she said.

Newman said without the people to analyze the data and make sense of the numbers, she doesn't know how many vital federal education grant programs can be administered.

“Some of the claims that there’s not going to be an impact, it’s impossible,” she said.

It could make a huge difference for students across the country, especially in areas with the most need.

“That money could be the difference between, you know, being able to offer an AP class in that district… These dollars, they matter, you know. Education is local…” she said. “I believe in the use of data to improve, and I'm not ready to not fight for that.”

The department said impacted employees will receive full pay and benefits until June 9.