- United States
- Pa.
- Letter
The president's proposal to remove oversight of special education from the Department of Education and transfer it to the Department of Health and Human Services is concerning. Educating students with disabilities is not solely a health or medical issue - it is fundamentally about ensuring they receive a free and appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment alongside their peers, as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The Department of Education has decades of experience working directly with state and local education agencies to implement IDEA and provide technical assistance to families. In contrast, HHS lacks this expertise in administering educational programs and services for students with disabilities within public schools. Reassigning IDEA oversight threatens to disrupt consistent implementation of the law nationwide. Moreover, housing special education under a health agency promotes an outdated medical model that could stigmatize and segregate students with disabilities rather than fostering their inclusion. I urge you to oppose any efforts to undermine the Department of Education's critical role in upholding the rights of students with disabilities to receive an equitable education. Instead, we should be strengthening the Department's ability to robustly enforce IDEA across all states and school districts.
