WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – President Donald Trump is defending mass layoffs at the Department of Education.

The administration says it’s a step toward closing the department completely.

Education Department officials this week announced plans to lay off more than 1,300 employees.

That puts the agency at about half its size since President Trump took office.

“We want to cut the people that aren’t working or not doing a good job. We’re keeping the best people,” said Trump.

President Trump said Wednesday staffing cuts at the Department of Education are needed.

It’s part of his larger plans to shut down the agency and he says give more control to the states.

“So that the states, instead of bureaucrats working in Washington, so that the states can run education,” said Trump.

The Education Department distributes billions of federal dollars to schools every year. It also funds programs that support low-income schools and students with disabilities.

Kim Anderson, with the National Education Association, says this is not the right approach to improving schools.

“We don’t think we should dismantle public education to fix it. We think we need to commit to it,” said Anderson.

The administration says cuts won’t impact key functions.

“Waste and fraud and abuse is being taken out,” said Trump.

Missouri Republican Senator Josh Hawley says he hopes money is simply redirected to those who need it.

“That’s my message to the administration or the department, is hey, use this as an opportunity to move that funding to local school districts,” said Hawley.

Fully closing the Department of Education would likely require an act of Congress.