Federal Funding Cuts Threaten Most Vulnerable Students

MEDIA AVAILABILITY

 

Trump Administration Attacks on Special Education

       WEAC President Peggy Wirtz-Olsen is available for media interviews on the Trump Administration’s special education funding reductions and their impact on students. Please contact WEAC Communications via the contact information at the top of this release to arrange a time to speak with Wirtz-Olsen.

       Since taking office, the Trump administration has cut funding for programs that serve students with disabilities, fired key U.S. Department of Education staff who assist those students and their families, and pushed to divert public school funds to private schools that often discriminate against disabled students. The most recent firings targeted employees overseeing $15 billion in special education funding and ensuring services for 7.5 million children with disabilitiesAlthough a federal judge temporarily blocked the firings for violating legal procedures, reports indicate that most staff in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and Office for Civil Rights (OCR) —which supports families and enforces the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—were impacted.

       You are invited to view the recording of an October 17 National Education Association (NEA) discussion and news conference on how the Trump administration is using the government shutdown to further dismantle the Department of Education—including moving to fire the dedicated public servants who ensure students with disabilities have equal access to a quality education (Passcode: Ns6r=Pqcy&). The conversation featured NEA President Becky Pringle, The Arc CEO Katy Neas, a special education teacher, and a parent of children receiving special education services.

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