As of March 21, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) has reduced its workforce to approximately 2,183 employees—a stark drop from the 4,133 employees who served at the start of President Trump’s term. While the Department continues to function, this nearly 50% reduction in staffing raises serious concerns about its ability to deliver on core responsibilities, especially in areas related to student data privacy and cybersecurity oversight.
One of the offices most affected is the Family Policy Compliance Office (FPCO), the team charged with enforcing the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). With a diminished staff, the FPCO will likely face significant delays in processing complaints and ensuring educational institutions comply with federal privacy laws.
Although the Department remains active and continues to issue public press releases, industry leaders and cybersecurity experts are raising alarm bells. Their concerns are not just about internal slowdowns—but about a weakened infrastructure that leaves millions of students’ personal data vulnerable to breaches, misuse, and long-term harm.
Why This Matters: FERPA at Risk
FERPA is a cornerstone of student privacy in the United States. It gives parents and eligible students the right to:
- Access their education records
- Request corrections to inaccurate data
- Control the disclosure of personal information from those records
Without the proper enforcement of FERPA, these protections are at risk. Educational institutions already struggle to comply with privacy standards due to budget constraints and varying levels of IT expertise. When oversight is weak or delayed, the consequences can be serious—from unauthorized access to student data to full-scale data breaches.
The FPCO’s workload is significant, and with fewer staff to investigate complaints or provide guidance, issues may fall through the cracks. This isn’t just speculation: industry leaders have publicly warned that the ED’s workforce reduction will slow down data protection efforts and weaken the very standards meant to protect families.
According to StateScoop, industry groups and cybersecurity experts have been “alarmed” by the cuts. The Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) expressed concern that cybersecurity will take a backseat as resources dwindle. Cyberattacks on school systems have already been increasing year-over-year, and the federal government is one of the few support systems local schools can rely on for guidance.
Even more direct are the warnings in Fox4KC’s report. The article highlights expert opinions stating that student privacy is “squarely at risk” if the ED is eliminated or scaled back any further. FERPA, they argue, doesn’t enforce itself—it requires active oversight and intervention.
The Bigger Picture: Cybersecurity & the Education Sector
It’s important to understand the broader context. The education sector has become an increasingly frequent target for cyberattacks. Hackers view K–12 institutions and universities as vulnerable and lucrative targets due to the volume of sensitive data they hold—names, addresses, social security numbers, medical records, and more.
When data breaches occur, students and their families can face long-term consequences such as identity theft, credit damage, and emotional distress. The ability of federal agencies like the ED to step in and enforce data privacy standards is not a luxury—it’s a necessity.
With the ED’s reduced workforce, fewer audits, delayed investigations, and weakened compliance follow-ups are almost inevitable. This creates a dangerous environment where bad actors can exploit loopholes or slow enforcement cycles.
Schools may also suffer from a lack of clear direction on how to improve their own cybersecurity. Many districts lack the resources or expertise to implement best practices and often rely on federal guidance to do so. If that guidance is no longer available in a timely or consistent way, school systems may be left to fend for themselves—an uneven playing field that leaves students in less-resourced areas especially vulnerable.
What You Can Do to Protect Your Family’s Information
While systemic protections are essential, individual families still have the power to take important steps to safeguard their own data. Here are a few key actions you can take:
- Strengthen Passwords
Use strong, unique passwords for each of your online accounts, especially those related to school portals, parent portals, or educational apps. A password manager can help you keep track of them all securely.
- Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Whenever possible, turn on MFA for added protection. This often involves receiving a code via text or email before logging in, making it much harder for unauthorized users to access your accounts.
- Stay Alert to Phishing
Teach your family to recognize phishing emails and suspicious links. These scams often look like legitimate communication from schools but are actually designed to steal information.
- Update Devices Regularly
Make sure all devices—laptops, tablets, phones—are updated with the latest security patches and operating systems.
- Avoid Public Wi-Fi for Sensitive Tasks
Never access sensitive education-related accounts or financial information while on public Wi-Fi unless you’re using a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN).
- Request Transparency from Schools
You have the right to ask schools how they manage and protect your child’s data. If they use third-party vendors or cloud services, ask about their policies and compliance with FERPA.
Advocating for Stronger Protections
Beyond taking personal precautions, families can and should advocate for systemic change:
- Contact school administrators and local school boards to ask how they’re adapting to the ED’s reduced support.
- Support legislation at the state and federal level that enhances cybersecurity funding and mandates minimum privacy standards in schools.
- Join or start parent advocacy groups that can elevate these concerns and push for better data practices.
Stay Informed
Despite the reduction in staff, the U.S. Department of Education remains active and continues to post updates and press releases. Staying informed can help you understand what changes are occurring at the federal level and how they may affect your community.
Visit https://www.ed.gov/about/news for the latest developments.
