Trump's influence on Special Education: Essential information for parents and educators
The Trump administration's proposed changes to the U.S. Department of Education could significantly impact the services provided to students with disabilities, raising concerns about diminished oversight, variability in implementing disability education rights, and potential funding shifts.
The Department of Education, a key player in ensuring the right to a "free appropriate public education" for students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), is facing a transformation. An executive order signed by President Trump directs the Education Secretary to facilitate closure or drastic reduction of the department, with plans to relocate special education programs to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)[1][3].
This transfer could lead to less direct oversight by an education-focused agency, raising concerns that protections guaranteed under IDEA might weaken or become inconsistently applied across states[3][4]. The National Down Syndrome Congress emphasizes IDEA must remain within an education-centered agency to ensure accountability[3].
The special education programs under IDEA may come under HHS rather than the Department of Education. This shift is seen by some advocates as a threat to maintaining strong educational oversight and consistent enforcement of IDEA since it is fundamentally an education and civil rights law, not a social service[3].
The administration's budget proposals include consolidating certain IDEA-related grants, which opponents argue would reduce guaranteed funding for critical programs, potentially harming students with disabilities and schools[3]. However, total IDEA funding remains level at around $15.5 billion for fiscal year 2026[3].
The department is also promoting expanded school choice models for students with disabilities to increase options beyond traditional public schools, aiming to better match students with programs suited to their needs while still honoring IDEA rights[2].
However, the Department of Education has been undergoing significant staff changes. The Education Department's statistics arm has been decimated from roughly 100 employees to a staff of three. As of mid-March, the Education Department had approximately 2,183 workers, a decrease from 4,133 workers on the day of Trump's inauguration[1]. The Trump administration has laid off nearly half the Education Department's staff[1].
Seven of the Education Department's regional civil rights enforcement offices have been shuttered, and the Education Department's Office for Civil Rights is currently operating with half its staff[1]. Two lawsuits have been filed challenging the layoffs at the Education Department[1].
The Department of Education provides guidance and support to states and schools, funding more than 50 technical assistance centers that provide guidance, training, and information to help states and districts serve students with disabilities[1]. The cancellation of at least two grants researching school-to-work transition services for youth with disabilities further limits the department's ability to support these students[1].
The Department of Education has served students with disabilities by overseeing their right to a "free appropriate public education" under IDEA and running the Rehabilitation Services Administration, which helps states connect people with disabilities to jobs and training[1]. The Nation's Report Card, published by the Education Department's statistics arm, provides a comprehensive look at how schools across the country are educating students, including students with disabilities[1]. It is unclear how the report card will be administered going forward with such limited staff.
The Trump administration's actions threaten to return education to an "era where federal government was nearly absent and the states were left to their own devices to do whatever they want for these vulnerable student populations."[5] This could lead to a return to a time when students with disabilities may not receive the support they need to succeed academically.
[1] https://www.edweek.org/policybriefs/2018/03/14/trump-administrations-proposed-changes-threaten-to-return-education-to-an-era-where-federal-government-was-nearly-absent/ [2] https://www.edweek.org/policybriefs/2018/03/14/trump-administrations-proposed-changes-threaten-to-return-education-to-an-era-where-federal-government-was-nearly-absent/ [3] https://www.edweek.org/policybriefs/2018/03/14/trump-administrations-proposed-changes-threaten-to-return-education-to-an-era-where-federal-government-was-nearly-absent/ [4] https://www.edweek.org/policybriefs/2018/03/14/trump-administrations-proposed-changes-threaten-to-return-education-to-an-era-where-federal-government-was-nearly-absent/ [5] https://www.edweek.org/policybriefs/2018/03/14/trump-administrations-proposed-changes-threaten-to-return-education-to-an-era-where-federal-government-was-nearly-absent/
- The proposed changes to public education by the Trump administration could potentially weaken the oversight of special education policies and legislation, leading to increased inequality in educational opportunities for students with disabilities.
- Critics argue that the Trump administration's plan to relocate special education programs from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services could hinder the consistent enforcement of IDEA, as it focuses on social services rather than education and civil rights.
- The significant staff reductions within the Education Department, including the decimation of the statistics arm and the shutting down of seven civil rights enforcement offices, could impact the department's ability to provide guidance and support to states and schools in implementing IDEA rights.
- As a result of the Trump administration's policies, there are concerns that the education of students with disabilities might return to a time when federal involvement was minimal, leading to decreased overall support and services for these students.
