U.S. Department of Education Begins Hiring Staff & Contractors for FSA Positions Previously Cut

After losing roughly half its staff in last year's reduction in force, the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) — which manages the nation's $1.7 trillion student loan portfolio and serves 43 million borrowers — is adding around 380 new workers, according to internal documents obtained by NPR. An April all-staff meeting revealed FSA had about 731 full-time-equivalent staff, roughly half its pre-administration level of 1,440. Reports indicate that none of these new FSA hires are former employees returning to their previous positions. Education Secretary Linda McMahon previously acknowledged the cuts went too far in places, conceding the department had "cut into the muscle" and brought some people back.