Preserve education rights for students with disabilities

The proposed actions regarding the Department of Education and the oversight of special education services raise significant concerns for students with disabilities. Dismantling the Department or offloading key responsibilities like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) to other agencies risks disrupting essential protections, funding streams, and accountability measures that support millions of students nationwide in accessing a free and appropriate public education. Upholding civil rights laws and ensuring equitable educational opportunities for all students, including those with disabilities, should be a paramount priority. Any reorganization or reallocation of authority must maintain robust enforcement of IDEA, preserve funding levels, and strengthen rather than weaken the systems in place to meet the needs of students with diverse abilities and challenges. I urge you to carefully scrutinize these proposals and their potential impacts. Safeguarding the rights and wellbeing of our most vulnerable students must take precedence over any bureaucratic reshuffling or agenda to simply reduce the federal role in public education. Substantive reforms should only move forward if they demonstrably enhance services and outcomes for students with disabilities across all states and districts.