The Department of Education has just eliminated hundreds of jobs through an illegal Reduction in Force (RIF). The RIF affects all but a few staff and will harm students with disabilities. The action sends the message that our children are not valued and unfairly creates confusion and chaos in our state as well as every school and district.

The cuts have gutted key offices—including the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) which are responsible to administer funding and oversee the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) -which serves more than 8 million children ages 0-21 nationwide. Other cuts impact the all programs authorized under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) which applies to all schools and districts especially those serving low-income children.

The RIF circumvents the will of Congress as it relates to IDEA and dismantles 50 years of precedent upholding the rights and opportunities of students with disabilities. The IDEA statute requires the Secretary of Education to lead, direct, and oversee federal activities that are permanently codified into law. Members of Congress -from both sides of the aisle- agreed on this approach because they understood that our children, their families, and the educators that support them require stability and assurance that the law and its funds are always intact. Student access to a free, appropriate public education via IDEA is not aribtrary and should not be bandied about due to the political wishes of one party or another.

Decimating the Department of Education disrespects and ignores the requirements of the law.

Tell Congress to protect our children with disabilities and put the pressure on the administration to reinstate staff at the Department of Education.