Federal Layoffs Decimate Special Education Oversight
On October 10, the Trump Administration issued another wave of mass layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education, terminating 466 more staff—including nearly all employees in offices that support students with disabilities and those experiencing homelessness.
This follows the 1,300 layoffs earlier this year, cutting the agency’s workforce nearly in half.
State Superintendent Chris Reykdal expressed serious alarm about the implications of these cuts for vulnerable students, including the 155,000 Washington children served under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
In his statement, Reykdal urged Congress to act.
“These layoffs remove several of the safeguards that the federal government has put in place, and the extent of the impacts to services for students and families is not yet known.”
According to an October 11 report from ABC News, internal Department of Education sources say the firings have “gutted” the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitative Services Administration—together known as OSERS. These teams oversee the legal enforcement and distribution of more than $15 billion in federal special education funding.
One department leader, speaking anonymously, asked: “If there’s no staff, who the heck is going to administer this program?” They added, “There is a risk that the money to educate their children will not be given to the state... their access to support and advocacy for their children with special needs will no longer continue.”
While Education Secretary Linda McMahon insists the department will continue to fulfill all legal obligations, advocates and union leaders are skeptical. Rachel Gittleman, president of AFGE Local 252, warned: “The RIF of OSERS and OESE doubles down on the harm to K-12 students... already feeling the impacts of a hamstrung Office for Civil Rights.”
Let's be clear: This is not a bureaucratic shuffle. It’s a direct attack on students who depend on stable, expert federal support. Here in Washington, we’re fortunate to have a Legislature and OSPI committed to civil rights and equitable education. But without federal staff to process grants, monitor compliance, and enforce IDEA, even the most committed states face challenges.
We stand with Supt. Reykdal in calling on Congress to restore these essential protections and reject this dismantling of public education support. The President and Congressional leaders also need to come together immediately to resolve the shutdown of the federal government. Our students—especially those with disabilities—deserve more right now, not less.