When the Safety Net Shakes: What Parents of Kids with IEPs Need to Know About the Department of Education Layoffs
- Braden Young
- Oct 13
- 7 min read
Last week, the U.S. Department of Education began a sweeping round of layoffs, including staff in divisions that oversee special education programs. Media coverage and internal sources reported that many positions within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), especially the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), have been cut drastically.
For those of us with neurodivergent children, these changes can feel destabilizing and scary. You may be asking: what does this mean for my child? Will their IEP rights be at risk? How can I stay protective and proactive? This article aims to help answer some of these questions and be a guide during these uncertain times.
Why the Department of Education Matters for Children with IEPs
Before we dive into the potential impacts, I want to talk a bit about how the federal Education Department fits into your child's Individualized Education Program (IEP).
IDEA
In 1990 congress renamed the "Education for All Handicapped Children Act" to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) which has continued to evolve with the most recent amendments designed to strengthen the law made in 2004.
The purpose of IDEA is to ensure that all children receive Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) along with all necessary special education and related services to thrive. IDEA is a federal law that mandates that schools provide special education services to eligible kids with disabilities. The law includes kids from birth through high school graduation or age 21, whichever comes first.
Department of Education's Role in Special Education
The Department of Education plays multiple key roles in how states manage special education programs in public schools. The Department of Education allocates federal funds to the states in order to support special education programs. They also provides rulemaking, guidance, and enforcement of IDEA. The Department of Education issues regulations, clarifies interpretations of IDEA, provides technical assistance, monitors state compliance, investigates complaints, and ensures civil rights protections.
Finally, while local school districts provide the services, they often rely on federal grant supplements, national standards, benchmarks, training, and support that comes from the Department of Education.
Basically, even though your child's Individualized Education Program might be managed locally, the federal role helps keep systems accountable, consistent, and funded.
What’s Changing: What the Department of Education Layoffs Mean (and Don’t Mean)
Okay, so you're probably wondering you’re probably wondering what this means for your child’s IEP. The truth is, it’s complicated. These changes don’t immediately erase your child’s rights, but they could shake some of the systems that help uphold them.
We mentioned how the Department of Education does more than write policy. It trains, funds, and guides the people who make special education work in real classrooms. When that layer starts thinning out, it can cause ripples. Investigations into IEP violations might slow down. Guidance to schools and states might take longer to arrive. The parent training centers and professional development programs that rely on federal grants could find themselves short on support. In short, the backbone of oversight may weaken, even if the laws themselves remain intact.
It’s also worth noting that some of these changes appear to be part of a broader shift in how special education is managed, potentially moving oversight away from the Department of Education altogether and into other agencies. That might sound bureaucratic, but the risk is real: anytime leadership and priorities shift, the consistency of services for our kids can take a hit.
Now, here’s the good news. Your child’s IEP doesn’t disappear because of staff changes in Washington. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is still federal law, and your local school district is still legally required to follow it. Your son or daughter’s team can’t simply stop providing services, cancel accommodations, or change goals without your consent. That part of the system including your IEP team, your local educators, your right to due process remains intact.
In the short term, most families won’t see sudden changes in the day-to-day delivery of their child’s supports. The teachers, therapists, and administrators who know your child best are still on the front lines. But over time, if federal oversight continues to erode, some states and districts could start interpreting the rules differently or cutting corners under financial pressure.
This is why parent awareness matters more than ever. Staying informed, keeping records, and knowing your rights under IDEA can help you spot small shifts before they become big problems. Think of it like checking the foundation of a house after an earthquake. You may not see cracks right away, but you still inspect it, just to be sure it’s solid.
A Guide for Parents: What to Do Now, and Going Forward
When systems feel unstable, our instinct as parents is to tighten our grip to make sure our kids don’t get lost in the shuffle. That’s exactly the right mindset. The good news is that you still have tools, rights, and a community behind you. This is the time to use them with intention.
Start by grounding yourself in the basics: your child’s IEP is a legally binding document. Every service, support, and accommodation in it must be provided unless the team (including you) formally agrees to a change. That means speech therapy minutes can’t quietly disappear, and behavior supports can’t just “pause until further notice.” If something feels off, ask questions in writing and request an IEP meeting. The paper trail protects both you and your child.
Keep an eye on patterns. If you notice services being canceled, reduced, or inconsistently delivered, document the dates and details. It’s not about being combative; it’s about creating clarity. Many IEP teams are overwhelmed, and sometimes things slip through the cracks. Your documentation ensures the conversation stays focused on facts, not feelings.
This is also a moment to connect with your allies. Parent Training and Information Centers, local advocacy groups, and disability rights organizations exist for exactly this reason. They can guide you through the maze if you ever need to file a complaint or request mediation. Building relationships with your school’s special education director and teachers can also go a long way. Most educators want to help; they’re just stretched thin and navigating uncertainty too.
In the bigger picture, keep an eye on your state’s education policies and funding updates. If federal oversight weakens, state agencies become the next line of accountability. That means parents, especially those who understand how these systems work, play a crucial role in holding states accountable. Joining parent networks, showing up at school board meetings, or even sharing trusted information on social media can make more impact than you might think.
The reality is that the laws protecting your child are still there. They haven’t been repealed or rewritten. What’s changing is the scaffolding that keeps those laws strong. By staying informed, organized, and connected, you help reinforce that structure, one meeting, one email, one conversation at a time.
Our kids need stability. We can’t always control what happens in Washington, but we can control how prepared we are. And when parents know their rights, document their child’s needs, and lean on each other, the system can’t easily ignore us. Advocacy isn’t just activism; it’s love in action.
Standing Together for Our Kids
If the past few years have taught us anything, it’s that parents are often the strongest advocates their children will ever have. When systems shift, it’s easy to feel powerless, but that feeling doesn’t tell the full story. Every time a parent speaks up in an IEP meeting, writes a letter, or supports another family who’s struggling, they’re shaping the future of how our schools serve neurodivergent children.
Even as the federal landscape changes, the power of community remains. We are stronger when we share information, when we show up, and when we refuse to let fear or bureaucracy silence our voices. Whether it’s joining local support groups, volunteering with advocacy organizations, or simply checking in with another parent who feels lost in the process, every small action builds momentum.
Our kids deserve a world where their needs are not treated as negotiable. They deserve classrooms that understand them, teachers who believe in them, and systems that don’t crumble under politics. That vision is still possible, but it depends on all of us staying informed, connected, and unafraid to speak up.
No matter what happens, remember this: your advocacy matters. Your voice matters. And when parents stand together for their children, we remind the world that inclusion, compassion, and justice are not optional. They are the foundation of a society that truly values every child.
References
U.S. Department of Education. “U.S. Department of Education Initiates Reduction in Force.” March 11, 2025. U.S. Department of Education
K12 Dive. “RIFs rip through federal Office of Special Education Programs.” (October 2025) K-12 Dive
K12 Dive. “How will Education Department cuts impact special education?” K-12 Dive
The Guardian. “Majority of special education staff in US education department laid off – report.” The Guardian
AP News. “Education Department layoffs hit offices that oversee special education and civil rights enforcement.” AP News
ECTA Center. “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).” ECTA Center+1
National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD). “Individuals with Disabilities Education Act: Learn the Law.” (PDF) NCLD
DisabilityScoop. “Ed Department Cuts May Leave Students With Disabilities ‘Little To No Recourse.’” Disability Scoop
Inside Higher Ed. “Assessing the Damage After the Education Department’s Mass Layoffs.” Inside Higher Ed
American Progress. “Department of Education Staff Cuts Will Harm America’s Children and Schools.” Center for American Progress+2The Century Foundation+2
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