Parents of children with disabilities are increasingly worried as the Department of Education narrows its focus and accountability measures seem tougher to find.
This year, the department cut nearly half of its staff and is in the process of reducing services for individuals with disabilities. Currently, 95% of its workforce is on furlough due to the ongoing government shutdown.
Parents express frustration over the growing difficulty in contacting someone regarding civil rights complaints or updates on educational progress. Their concerns intensify as Education Secretary Linda McMahon has remained vague about who will oversee compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), while also advocating for returning educational authority to the states.
“It’s not just families that are struggling; it’s the entire school system. When the federal government abruptly withdraws its role in public education without notice or support, it leaves everyone involved feeling helpless. Schools lack the necessary guidance, and students, along with their families, risk missing the legal protections they deserve,” stated Dennis Marshall, CEO of the Parent Lawyers Council.
Alicia Renee, a mother of two children with neurodivergent syndromes, has been fighting for years to secure the legally mandated Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) for her sons. She has lodged complaints at both state and federal levels, including directly with the Department of Education, but says it’s become more challenging since President Trump took office.
“The process has slowed down. I feel lost; I don’t even know who to email anymore. Before Trump’s administration, I had a lawyer assisting me with my case at the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), but now, I’m just stuck,” she explained.
“I’ve been following up for updates about my case. Since reaching out to the Atlanta office last, I haven’t heard anything back… I was supposed to receive contact details about who was assigned to my case, but nothing has materialized,” she noted.
It’s also concerning for other families, as some have yet to receive confirmations on the OCR complaints they’ve filed.
The Department of Education did not respond to inquiries for comments.
The OCR was significantly impacted during the layoffs, as nearly half of the department’s employees were let go in March. This office is tasked with investigating civil rights complaints in schools, many involving students with disabilities.
Concerns are mounting over the response times to OCR cases and the rate at which complaints are being dismissed. During a three-month span from March to June, OCR dismissed 3,424 charges, while in the last quarter under President Biden, 2,527 cases were dismissed.
A parent, who chose to remain anonymous, shared that an investigator was assigned in March to examine complaints regarding children’s rights at their school.
“The investigator did little research. Even the documents she provided had inaccuracies,” the parent mentioned this week.
“They wrapped up their investigation just before the shutdown,” the parent added, highlighting that once a decision is made, appeals aren’t an option. “They’re supposed to notify the complainant anytime the respondent seeks a resolution, as a matter of courtesy. I haven’t received any notifications,” they said.
Amid the ongoing government shutdown, which has temporarily halted some layoffs, the Department of Education has targeted OCR again, along with additional services for students with disabilities.
Reports indicate that only a few senior officials will remain to monitor IDEA until a court intervention blocks the layoffs.
“The current shutdown has prompted agencies to consider the significance of federal responsibilities to the American public. Two weeks post-shutdown, millions of students are still attending schools, teachers are still receiving pay, and schools are functioning as usual. This validates what the president has asserted: The federal Department of Education is unnecessary and should relinquish control back to the states,” McMahon remarked on a social platform.
“The Department is taking steps to enhance communication with students and families while eliminating the bureaucratic barriers that impose unnecessary supervision on states and educators,” she added, claiming that education funding, including for special education, will not be affected by layoffs.
Even with the suspension of the layoffs, the IDEA’s intent to decrease staff raises alarm for parents who doubt that state and local districts can adequately handle oversight and research.
“While the Department of Education wasn’t without flaws, the solution isn’t to eliminate it altogether or remove all oversight,” said Parul Khemka, a school board member and mother of a child with a disability.
“I feel that abandoning the Department would be like throwing the baby out with the bathwater. That’s just not a viable solution,” she concluded.
