The moves will cut the department from 4,133 workers when President Donald Trump began his second term in January to 2,183 workers. The significant cuts come as Trump is considering an executive order attempting to dismantle the agency and as all federal departments and agencies are preparing "large-scale reductions in force" ahead of a Thursday deadline ordered by Trump.

Staff at the Department of Education have been told to leave the agency’s headquarters by 6 p.m. Tuesday and that all department offices across the country will be closed Wednesday, with no reason or justification except “security reasons.

President Trump is expected to direct his secretary of education to dissolve the Department of Education by executive order this week, sources said.