Reactions Over Termination of Special Education Experts During Shutdown
Two weeks after the termination of nearly every specialist in the Office of Special Education Programs, which is "dedicated to improving results for infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities ages birth through 21 by providing leadership and financial support to assist states and local districts,” outrage and fear continue to grow. The firings, known as a “reduction in force” (RIF), leave fewer than a handful of people to oversee the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which supports more than eight million infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
Organizations that Support Children with Disabilities Voice Opposition, Request Congressional Oversight
This week, CEC joined more than 800 local, state, and national organizations to call on the Administration and Congress to support an immediate reversal of the RIF to restore staffing and transparency at the U.S. Department of Education.
The letter reads, in part, “These layoffs circumvent the will of Congress and dismantle 50 years of precedent upholding rights for students with disabilities. Without personnel to oversee these laws, the Department cannot provide essential leadership, oversight, guidance, or support to states and schools—jeopardizing students’ access to a free, appropriate public education and hampering the ability of states and localities to serve all students.”
A group of 60 national organizations, including CEC, followed up with a formal request to Chairman Bill Cassidy (R-LA) and Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-VT), requesting an oversight hearing to examine recent unilateral actions at the Department of Education, including the most recent RIF. The letter states, “The public deserves to learn how the Secretary plans to fulfill the Department’s full obligations under IDEA and other authorized disability laws.”
To view the letters, go here and here.
Congress Begins to Ask Questions, Express Outrage
House members Debbie Dingell (D-MI) and Brian K. Fitzpatrick (R-PA), co-chairs of the Bipartisan Disabilities Caucus, sent a letter to U.S. Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon expressing concern over the impact the RIF will have on students with disabilities.
The co-chairs requested a response within 30 days to critical questions, including the reasoning behind the RIF, its assessed impact on students with disabilities, and how the agency plans to continue meeting its legal obligations under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Finally, they question how transparency and accountability will be maintained if there are too few staff to oversee compliance and ensure the law’s implementation.
House and Senate Democrats have also sent letters demanding answers and a reversal of the recent RIFs. A letter signed by 121 House Democrats asserts, “These reckless terminations are just another in a line of actions by your administration that threaten the rights that individuals with disabilities have fought long and hard for.” 31 Senate Democrats expressed similar outrage, writing, "The Department’s actions to hollow out key offices responsible for supporting students with disabilities, rural students, students experiencing homelessness, school districts that serve low-income students or military families doesn’t just hurt 'Democrats,' it hurts students and families in every part of the country.”
Read the bipartisan letter here.
Read the Democratic letters here and here.
Educators Take a Stand for Special Education
In the last two weeks, CEC Members and colleagues across the nation have demonstrated the urgency of this moment and taken action to voice their support for special education. An opinion piece by CEC board member Amy Braddock highlights the successes of her brother, who has intellectual disabilities and epilepsy. It states, “OSEP exists to help states and schools meet those legal obligations by providing funding, guidance, and support. North Dakota and other states have relied on these supports for five decades and would have never built the infrastructure to do this challenging work on their own.”
Her full letter can be found here.
Whether penning opinion pieces, writing to Congressional contacts developed through the annual Special Education Legislative Summit, meeting with staff and Members of Congress, calling offices, or engaging in CEC’s advocacy campaign, the voices of special educators have been elevated to a record-breaking degree - more than 40,000 letters in support of special education and in opposition to the RIFs have been sent through CEC’s Legislative Action Center in the last 10 days!
Action Alert!
Join your colleagues to let Congress know—we must retain the special education experts who support the implementation of IDEA.
If you've already taken part in this action alert—thank you! Now, we invite you to take it a step further: challenge yourself to share it with five others to help amplify our collective voice.