Shutdown update: Federal department overseeing special education is slashed by Trump administration

The office that is responsible for overseeing special education has been gutted by the Trump administration amid the federal shutdown, causing widespread concern among advocates for students with disabilities.  

Dozens of staff members from Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), who are the latest to be laid off, are responsible “for roughly $15 billion in special education funding and for making sure states provide special education services to the nation’s 7.5 million children with disabilities,” NPR reported. 

The following is a recent statement from Denise Forte, president and CEO of EdTrust, on the recent mass firings at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. 

 WASHINGTON — “The Trump administration’s attack on public education continued this weekend as students with disabilities are at risk of losing the services, supports, and oversight that protect their civil rights. The administration’s unfathomable decision to fire all employees who administer the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) abandons the 7.5 million students with disabilities and their families. Roughly 15% of public school students have a disability, and federal enforcement of IDEA is crucial to ensuring that these students receive a free and appropriate public education. 

“These layoffs will have significant consequences for students of color with disabilities, who have a harder time accessing services and face disproportionately harsher discipline. This is a direct assault on all parents of and students with disabilities and all students and families who know that an excellent education system is a diverse and inclusive one. I call on the Trump administration to reverse these cuts immediately.”