Department of Education to leave building after 40 years as part of effort to eliminate government agency

Department staff will move out of the Lyndon B. Johnson headquarters building so the Department of Energy can eventually move in by August. 

The move is what the officials call "a prudent step to save hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars and further reduce the federal education bureaucracy."

The ED said its relocation will save taxpayers approximately $4.8 million annually in operating costs and eliminate wasted space in a building that is about 70% vacant. 

"One year ago, President Trump signed one of the most consequential executive orders of his presidency to break up the federal education bureaucracy and return education to the states," Education Secretary Linda McMahon said. 

While Congress holds the key to shutting the operation down for good, McMahon plans to show legislators that the interagency agreements are "proof of concept" that the ED is not needed for federal grant aid and federal student loans to continue flowing to borrowers.