If you have a child with a disability, or you’ve ever sat in an IEP meeting, or you’ve ever wondered if your child was being treated differently for discriminatory reasons, you already know that resources are finite and can be hard to access.
In the U.S., the law promises that every child has access to a free public education, regardless of race, gender, immigration status, or disability. That’s on paper—but in practice, many parents have found it’s an uphill battle to secure the resources their kids need.
Unsurprisingly, these are the same students and parents who will feel the bite of new education cuts soonest and most severely.
New Cuts Target Disability Support Services In Education
In March, the Federal government announced that the U.S. Department of Education staff was being cut almost in half — reduced from 4,133 to “roughly 2,183” employees, and now the next round of layoffs will cut it further still. According to Education Week, some teams may be eliminated, and a group devoted to disability support and accessible education is one of them.
“On Friday, the [ Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)] was dealt another blow: The 20 people remaining on the team that had been planning the achievement initiative were among the approximately 466 staff members cut from the Education Department as part of a governmentwide reduction-in-force during the ongoing federal government shutdown.”
It’s impossible to predict with certainty what will happen when the shutdown ends, or how the lawsuits challenging the firings might turn out. OSERS could effectively disappear permanently, or members could be rehired or replaced at some point.
The Office of Civil Rights has also been drastically reduced, reportedly from 605 staff members at the beginning of the year to just over 100 after the latest round of cuts, meaning that filing a complaint and getting a resolution will take longer than ever.
The Effects May Trickle — Or Gush
What does all of this mean at your child’s school?
If school staff haven’t been reduced and they’ve consistently met your child’s needs, you may not notice an immediate change. In the coming weeks and months, the effects are likely first to hit those who need to seek enforcement or support beyond the local school.
In other words, if your child’s school is doing a great job supporting your kid’s needs and continues to do so, you might not notice the cuts. If, however, the system falls short and fails to correct it as required by law, then when you appeal to federal offices, your pleas for support may fall on unplugged phones and empty offices.
This also applies to civil rights violations, or allegations thereof. If you need to report a shortcoming, there may be no one available to stand behind you and enforce the regulations enshrined in law.
If your school has already been less-than-diligent about maintaining standards and keeping education accessible for all students, or if budgets, staffing, and other hurdles have already made it difficult for them to do so, expect to feel the damage much more quickly.
Disability Advocates Warn That IDEA Progress Could “Unravel”
The Arc of the United States, one of the longest-standing disability rights advocacy organizations, is warning that this will spell disaster. They remind us that states may interpret disability legislation (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA) differently without federal enforcement.
States could decide that their obligation to provide an education to all children no longer includes speech therapy, English as a Second Language (ESL), or a separate space for kids with ADHD or autism to take tests without distractions.
Early intervention programs, pre-K classes, and adaptive technology could all be on the line.
“The Department of Education is the keeper of IDEA’s promise,” said [Arc CEO Katy] Neas. “Without these offices, students with disabilities have fewer protections to get an education when they face harassment, exclusion, discriminatory discipline, and barriers to access and inclusion that can shape the rest of their lives. They will be denied the chance to learn, grow, and belong in their communities.”
What Should Parents Be Doing Now?
First and foremost, continue to be your child’s advocate. Keep making contact with their schools and following up on concerns. Document everything and maintain strong relationships with teachers, counselors, and other school staff whenever possible.
Stay alert for changes. Organize with other local parents, check for advocacy groups in your area, and keep an eye on information from national advocacy groups, such as The Arc, and from the Department of Education.
Consider contacting your legislators at the state and federal level to press them to support programs necessary to maintain support of children with disabilities in the school system.
Most of all, remember to connect with your child and reassure them! Whether or not they’re aware of the details, they may feel the changes and benefit from assurance that they always have you on their team and that you’re working to keep the rest of their team together, too.