These actions would move the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the Department of Justice (DOJ), fundamentally restructuring how federal disability and education laws are implemented and enforced.
Why this matters
For nearly 50 years, IDEA has been implemented through the Department of Education, ensuring students with disabilities have access to a free appropriate public education, individualized supports, and pathways to postsecondary education and employment.
Moving these responsibilities would:
- Fragment coordination between education, civil rights, and workforce systems
- Weaken oversight of special education and transition services
- Separate civil rights enforcement from schools and education policy
- Create new barriers for families seeking accountability and resolution of discrimination
Students with disabilities are general education students first. Their success depends on a coordinated system that connects early intervention, school-based supports, transition services, and workforce preparation.
Take action: Contact your Members of Congress
We need Congress to act now to protect the integrity of IDEA, Section 504, and the Department of Education’s role in enforcing disability rights. Thank you!
Learn more about the role of the Federal Department of Education here.