1. United States
2. Texas
3. Letter

I am a constituent from Heartland, Texas. I am writing as a special educator to urge you to oppose the U.S. Department of Education's proposal to transfer special education programs to the Department of Health and Human Services. Special education is, at its core, an educational endeavor. The students it serves — children with disabilities — depend on systems designed around the principles of teaching, learning, and academic opportunity. The Department of Education was built to understand and serve those needs. HHS was not. Transferring oversight of special education to HHS would place these programs in the hands of an agency with no experience designing or administering educational systems. The result would be a weakened infrastructure, diminished protections for students with disabilities, and fewer opportunities for the children who already face the greatest barriers to learning. As your constituent and a professional whose career is dedicated to these students, I ask that you make your voice heard on this issue. We cannot afford to gamble with the futures of children with disabilities by placing their education in the hands of an agency unprepared to support it. Thank you for your time and for your service to the people of Texas.