Washington, D.C. – The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) claims it has cut $900 million from the U.S. Department of Education’s budget, but critics argue the savings figures are exaggerated and the cuts could cost taxpayers more in the long run.
Key Takeaways:
- DOGE claimed $881 million in savings by canceling 89 Education Department research contracts.
- Independent researchers say the actual savings are closer to $278 million after accounting for wasted funds.
- $400 million had already been spent on research that will now go unfinished.
- Both conservative and liberal experts criticize DOGE’s sloppy accounting and hasty cuts.
Antoinette Flores, former Education Department official:
“It’s clear that this was not put together with a great deal of care. This is work in progress, and now taxpayers will get nothing for it.”
Are DOGE’s Savings Numbers Exaggerated?
The Numbers Don’t Add Up
- DOGE initially claimed $881 million in savings but later adjusted the figure to $489 million on its website.
- Research group New America found actual savings to be closer to $278 million.
- $400 million had already been spent on research that will now likely be rebid, costing millions more in administrative fees.
Nat Malkus, American Enterprise Institute (AEI):
“DOGE has an unprecedented opportunity to cut waste and bloat. However, the sloppy work shown so far should give pause to even its most sympathetic defenders.”
How Did DOGE Overestimate Savings?
- Canceled contracts were valued at $676 million—not $881 million as DOGE claimed.
- Funds already spent cannot be “saved”—$400 million worth of work is now essentially lost.
- Many research projects will need to be rebid, leading to higher costs down the road.
New America Report:
“Research cannot be undone, and statistics cannot be uncollected.”
What Research Was Cut?
Critical Education Studies Scrapped Overnight
- DOGE’s cuts nearly dismantled the Institute of Education Sciences (IES), which has funded research for over two decades.
- Studies on U.S. student achievement, teacher effectiveness, and education policy were canceled.
- The same data Republicans use to call for education reform was funded by IES—raising concerns that policy debates will now lack evidence.
Margaret Spellings, former Education Secretary under George W. Bush:
“Without that research, without that accountability, without that transparency, we’re really flying blind.”
Why This Matters
- The cuts eliminate key education data that both parties rely on.
- Educators and policymakers will have less information to guide decisions.
- Some conservative experts argue that research oversight should be reformed—not eliminated entirely.
AEI Researcher Nat Malkus:
“Education research should be reformed, not recklessly destroyed.”
DOGE’s Response: “Education Studies Haven’t Helped”
Education Department’s Justification
- In a Feb. 12 X post, the Education Department defended the cuts, saying research has left students “no better off.”
- DOGE claims too much funding goes toward conferences and bureaucratic reports instead of actual improvements for students.
Education Department Statement:
“We want to ensure every dollar being spent is directed toward improving education for kids – not conferences and reports on reports.”
Critics Disagree
- Education experts warn that scrapping research altogether will make school reform even harder.
- Studies on achievement gaps, funding effectiveness, and policy outcomes are now in jeopardy.
Flores on the Fallout:
“Without this research, we won’t have the data needed to fix our education system.”
