Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency has saved $982 million after combing through the Department of Education and canceling outside contracts, according to the agency.
The Education Department’s Institute of Education Sciences was the focus of most of the cuts, as $881 million was cut from at least 89 contracts.
Many of the contracts were for special studies tracking student learning, evaluating teaching strategies, and tracking educational trends.
‘Any contracts to preform statutory functions will be rebid,’ a notice to staffers read, noting that the College Scorecard would not be affected by the cuts.
The department also canceled training grants for DEI programs, saving $101 million.
President Donald Trump campaigned on the idea of shutting down the department entirely, shifting college student loans to a separate agency and directing federal funding for the agency directly to the states.
Trump endorsed Musk’s work with DOGE on Tuesday arguing that no one should complain about his administration rooting out waste, fraud, and abuse, and saving taxpayer money.
‘Nobody had any idea it was that bad, that sick, and that corrupt,’ Trump said.
President Donald Trump listens as Elon Musk speaks in the Oval Office at the White House
People hold signs as they gather for a “Save the Civil Service” rally hosted by the American Federation of Government Employees
The president signed an executive order directing agencies to work with Musk and his team and offered him a chance to defend his cuts and answer questions from the press.
‘I mean, these things, it’s just common sense. It’s not draconian or radical, I think,’ Musk said. ‘It’s really just saying, let’s look at each of these expenditures and say, is this actually in the best interest of the people?’
DOGE employees continue to fan across federal agencies as the group looks to cut wasteful spending.
More cuts are expected at the Department of Education as President Donald Trump campaigned on shutting down the agency and sending the funding back to the states to fund their schools as they see fit.
He also said last week that it’s a goal to put his Education Secretary Linda McMahon ‘out of a job.’
McMahon’s confirmation hearings in the Senate begin on Thursday.
Government workers and sympathetic activists rallied on Tuesday at a ‘Save the Civil Service’ rally hosted by the American Federation of Government Employees in Washington, DC.
