Washington, D.C. – A major federal shake-up may threaten special education services across the country. Multiple internal sources say the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), which oversees programs for millions of students with disabilities, was largely eliminated overnight.
The reductions reportedly include nearly all staff in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA). These divisions manage the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—the federal law guaranteeing public education and classroom support for children with disabilities.
“They cut just about everyone that works with IDEA funding,” one source reported Saturday. “I’m not sure how these programs exist moving forward.”
The Department’s union reportedly told employees that official notices may take one to two days to reach all affected workers. As of Saturday morning, the Education Department has not released an official statement confirming or clarifying the reports.
Why This Matters for Families
If accurate, this would mean the federal offices that fund and enforce special education have effectively shut down—putting billions in annual IDEA grants and compliance monitoring in jeopardy.
Those funds help pay for speech therapy, classroom aides, accessibility equipment, and teacher training. They also ensure schools follow legal requirements for Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)—the foundation of support for students with disabilities.
Without OSERS and OSEP oversight, states and local schools could soon face funding delays, fewer resources, and confusion over compliance. Experts warn this could disrupt classrooms and leave parents struggling to get services their children are entitled to by law.
“These aren’t just office jobs,” one advocate whose identity wished to remain protected said. “These are the people who make sure children with disabilities get what they’re legally owed in the classroom.”
As of Saturday, the Education Department has not issued a statement confirming or denying the reports. The layoffs come as the federal government remains in shutdown, raising further uncertainty about when critical education operations and funding could resume.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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