source :-Education Week

The Department of Education will reopen after the longest government shutdown in U.S. history, but things won't go back to normal right away. Linda McMahon, the Secretary of Education, is expected to go back to her controversial plans to reorganize the federal agency and eventually cut its size.

The 43-day shutdown stopped McMahon's plan to cut staff in offices that deal with civil rights, K–12 policy, and special education. A federal judge stepped in to stop these layoffs for a short time, and the reopening agreement in Congress now stops any more layoffs until January 30, when lawmakers are expected to finish the 2026 federal budget.

Two senior officials will also take office after months of delays. Kimberly Richey will be in charge of the Office for Civil Rights, and Kirsten Baesler, who used to be the head of education in North Dakota, will be the Assistant Secretary for Elementary and Secondary Education. Baesler will be in charge of state waiver requests and will focus on projects like cutting back on programs that promote diversity and fairness and using artificial intelligence more in the administration of education.

The reopening is a key moment for the department because the leadership is moving forward with a restructuring plan that could change how the federal government oversees U.S. education policy.