The U.S. Department of Education announced sweeping layoffs on October 11, as reported widely in the news. The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) had been almost completely eliminated in this round of cuts. This comes after major layoffs earlier this spring that already reduced the Department’s workforce by nearly half. 

Luckily, these layoffs were reversed through the package to end the government shutdown. However, there are still discussions to move programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to different agencies, such as the Department of Health and Human Services, and potentially lay off staff again. 

These actions put important laws in jeopardy, including IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). 

This year is the 50th anniversary of IDEA, a law that has had strong bipartisan support for five decades. IDEA implementation has since been monitored and overseen by the U.S. Department of Education. Instead of celebrating progress, we now face a crisis—the breakdown of the system and potential movement to a new Department, very much unlike Congress's intent to ensure all children with disabilities can learn, grow, and succeed.

NOW is the time to contact your U.S. Senators and Representatives using our ACTION ALERT to urge them to protect IDEA and related programs for the sake of children with disabilities, their families, and the educators who serve them.

See this fact sheet on the Federal vs. State Role in Special Education.

See this fact sheet on how the Department of Ed is essential for students with disabilities. 

See more in our joint statement.