The Supreme Court granted the Trump administration a major legal victory by lifting a lower court’s block on mass layoffs at the Department of Education. The ruling allows the administration to proceed with dismissing employees and transferring school oversight to state authorities while litigation continues.

The unsigned order effectively reinstates the administration’s authority to implement its restructuring plan. Termination notices were reportedly issued immediately, with layoffs set to take effect on August 1.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor, joined by the Court’s liberal justices, issued a sharp dissent. She warned that the decision “undermines the separation of powers” and could set a troubling precedent for executive overreach.

A federal judge had previously reinstated about 1,400 Education Department employees, ruling that the mass cuts were unconstitutional and exceeded presidential authority. That ruling is now paused pending further review.

Supporters of the decision argue it restores flexibility to streamline federal operations and return more control to states. They view the restructuring as a way to promote local decision-making in education.

President Trump hailed the ruling as a “major victory” for parents and for what he called “the return of power to communities and classrooms.” He praised the Court for recognizing the administration’s authority to reshape federal agencies.

Legal experts, however, caution that the broader constitutional questions remain unresolved. The case could become a defining test of presidential power to reorganize departments without explicit congressional approval.

As the lawsuit proceeds, attention now turns to how the layoffs and state-level transitions will affect schools nationwide. The Court’s decision marks a pivotal moment in the ongoing debate over federal versus local control in American education.