1. United States
2. N.C.
3. Letter

Hello - I’m writing because I’m deeply concerned about the Administration’s action to fire nearly all staff in the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), as well as other Department of Education staff. For 50 years, IDEA has had strong bipartisan support, and we are counting on Congress to ensure these firings are reversed. If not, the firings will have a devastating impact on babies, toddlers, and all students with disabilities. OSEP staff are the people who make sure states follow the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) — the law that guarantees children with disabilities the right to a free appropriate public education and supports states to better serve children with disabilities and their families. Without OSEP, there will be no federal oversight, no accountability, and no one to make sure that states uphold the rights of children with disabilities and support their efforts to do so. Before IDEA became law, over a million children with disabilities were prohibited by states from going to school. Don’t allow the Administration to turn back the clock! Please take immediate action to stop these firings and restore the staff who protect the educational rights of children with disabilities. Thank you!