Amid the shutdown, the Trump administration is withdrawing the Department of Special Education Oversight

The sweeping layoffs announced by the Trump administration on Friday dealt another major blow to the U.S. Department of Education, this time devastating the office responsible for overseeing special education, according to multiple sources within the department.

The reduction in force, or RIF, affects nearly dozens of responsible employees 15 billion dollars Dollars to fund special education, and to ensure that states provide special education services to the nation’s 7.5 million children with disabilities.

"This eliminates the office responsible for protecting the rights of infants, young children, children and young people with disabilities," said one department employee, who, like others NPR spoke to, asked to remain anonymous for fear of retaliation.

According to sources, all staff at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS), except for a handful of senior administrators and support staff, were cut at the RIF on Friday. The office is the central nervous system for programs that support students with disabilities, and not only provides guidance to families, but also provides monitoring and oversight to states to ensure their compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

Layoffs at the Department of Education amounted to 466 in total Part of broader cuts – About 4,200 jobs – announced by government lawyers in a lawsuit on Friday as The lockdown continues.

At the Department of Education, it is not clear exactly how many workers in the Office of Special Education have been laid off. Department officials did not respond to NPR’s requests for clarification or comment.

"Based on multiple reports from employees and their managers, we believe that all remaining employees of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), including the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), have been unlawfully terminated." said Rachel Gittleman, president of AFGE Local 252, a union that represents many Department of Education employees.

"The damage these cuts will cause to the 7.5 million students with disabilities across the country has only just begun." Gettleman added.

Employees who received notice on Friday were told they would remain in their jobs until December 9.

Protecting students with disabilities

NPR spoke with six federal employees who were circumcised — all in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services, as well as former officials with close ties to the Office of Special Education.

Staff at the Office of Special Education described a set of key responsibilities that they were concerned were now not being fulfilled, creating a painful void for states, school districts, and families.

The federal law known as IDEA, Who turned 50 this yearAll children with disabilities are guaranteed the right to free and appropriate public education. Before the law was passed, these children were often refused admission to schools, including public schools, or placed in substandard facilities where they learned little and enjoyed few rights.

IDEA is a civil rights law first and foremost, requiring states to provide special education services to children from birth to age 21. It also helps fund these services.

As part of the law, states must submit student data each year to OSERS staff, to prove they are following the law’s requirements. States must also submit annual plans and apply each year for the billions of dollars available through IDEA to help them pay for special education.

OSERS staff reviews those state plans, analyzes the data, and ensures they comply with federal law. These officers can initiate investigations into countries if they believe they have intentionally or unintentionally fallen out of compliance. It also provides technical assistance to countries.

Without OSERS staff, one employee told NPR, "There is no oversight to ensure that all children with disabilities receive the services to which they are entitled."

OSERS staff also receive direct calls from parents and families across the country requesting assistance in understanding their children’s rights under federal disability law and, in some cases, seeking assistance when they are concerned they are being unlawfully denied services.

"I don’t think people realize how many calls we get from parents and families every day;" One affected worker told NPR. Now these calls will not be answered.

Return of education to the states

President Trump has repeatedly spoken of his desire to bring education back to the states, and this is the case Dismantling the Ministry of Education It’s part of that plan.

Excluding these employees, at this point, does not cut special education funding to states.

But one state special education director, who spoke with NPR on the condition of anonymity for fear of state retaliation, said they are concerned about the implications for students and families.

"I’m afraid. I think it’s good for states to know that there is federal oversight and that they will be held accountable." The official said. "The concept of leaving private education for the United States sounds wonderful, but it is scary. What happens if one country decides to interpret a law one way, but another country disagrees and interprets it differently?"

Multiple sources have also questioned the legality of cuts to OSERS. Federal law requires an Office of Special Education Programs – within the U.S. Department of Education – to administer and oversee special education funding and programs. As such, these sources said, actually closing the office by firing its staff should require an action by Congress.

"Now, the federal government is not committed to federal disability law," An OSERS employee told NPR. Another asked: "Who will families go to when there is no one left?"

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