Department of Education

The U.S. Department of Education is temporarily recalling Office for Civil Rights staff it had placed on paid administrative leave after a March reduction‑in‑force was blocked by the courts, instructing them to report to regional offices on Monday, Dec. 15. Press secretary Julie Hartman said the agency will "utilize all employees" while it continues to appeal litigation over the cuts, as a source told NPR OCR now faces about 25,000 pending complaints, including roughly 7,000 open investigations.