The US Department of Education faced drastic reductions in its special education staff during a recent federal government shutdown. These mass firings have left key offices critically under-resourced, sparking widespread concern over the immediate and long-term consequences for children with disabilities and the fundamental operation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Sources within the agency revealed to ABC News that many employees from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), which manages the $15 billion IDEA program, were among those let go. An anonymous department leader lamented the “absurd” situation, questioning who would be left to manage these vital programs.
Critical Special Education Offices Decimated by Layoffs
The staff cuts impacted several crucial divisions within OSERS, including the Offices of Special Education Programs and the Rehabilitative Services Administration. Reports from ABC News indicate that these layoffs occurred over a single weekend, following a broader Reduction in Force (RIF) across the entire Department of Education.
Rachel Gittleman, president of AFGE Local 252, expressed her dismay to ABC News, stating that “The RIF of OSERS and OESE doubles down on the harm to K-12 students and schools across the country.” She added that this further weakens an Office for Civil Rights already strained by previous layoffs in March, amplifying the negative impact on students and educators nationwide.
Agency sources noted that the department’s workforce had already shrunk by nearly half since the start of the Trump administration. A combination of buyouts, early retirements, voluntary separations, and previous RIFs had already significantly reduced personnel. A lawsuit filed by the American Federation of Government Employees claimed that an additional 466 employees, roughly 20% of the remaining staff, were cut during the shutdown, further crippling the department.
Threat to IDEA Enforcement and Funding
A senior education department source voiced serious concerns to ABC News, suggesting that without adequate staff, the department would be unable to properly administer IDEA. “If this RIF notice is carried out, the Department of Education can no longer administer IDEA,” the source stated, adding, “I have no staff to put the money out and to monitor the states.”
The source warned that these layoffs imperil families of children with disabilities who depend on the support and advocacy provided through IDEA funding. They emphasized, “There is a risk that the money to educate their children will not be given to the state, and that their access to support and advocacy for their children with special needs will no longer continue because there is no staff available to administer IDEA,” as reported by ABC News.
Despite these alarming reductions, Education Secretary Linda McMahon affirmed that the department would continue to fully fund and execute all Congress-mandated programs. However, insiders told ABC News that the recent RIF directly contradicts these assurances, making their fulfillment highly doubtful.
Uncertainty Surrounds Program Responsibility Transfer
President Trump had previously suggested that the Department of Health and Human Services, under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., would take over some special needs and nutrition programs. Yet, according to ABC News, this transfer has not yet materialized, creating a critical void in oversight and administration.
A department leader critically compared the situation to assigning unqualified individuals to highly specialized roles: “That’s like taking a surgeon and telling them you’re now a bricklayer or telling a bricklayer you’re now a surgeon: it’s just so absurd,” ABC News quoted. The Department of Education did not offer an immediate response to ABC News’ requests for comment.