1. United States
2. La.
3. Letter

Cuts to staffing at the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights will undoubtedly limit options for families seeking support for children with disabilities. The reduction in investigative personnel means a backlog of over 20,000 pending cases alleging discrimination against students with disabilities may not be properly addressed. This risks violating the rights of these vulnerable students without providing due process. For many families in Louisiana and across the nation, filing a complaint with the federal Office for Civil Rights was an accessible avenue to resolve issues when school districts failed to provide legally-mandated services or accommodations. With fewer staff to investigate claims, families may lose faith in this process and face greater challenges obtaining the educational resources their children require. While the Department argues the staffing decisions were strategic, the reality is that diminished capacity to handle disability discrimination cases could embolden school districts to neglect complaints. Students with disabilities deserve to have their rights protected and an equal opportunity to learn. Restoring the Office for Civil Rights' workforce is crucial to upholding these principles and ensuring all children can access the education they are entitled to by law.