The Trump administration is pushing a plan that would hand over enforcement of special education laws to individual states. That means the federal government would no longer investigate complaints or monitor compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Instead, states would be responsible for policing themselves. Let that sink in. The same states that have underfunded special education for decades. The same states that have failed to meet basic benchmarks for inclusion and accessibility. Now they’re being asked to hold themselves accountable. That’s not reform. That’s abandonment.
The proposal, quietly released by the Department of Education, frames the change as a way to streamline oversight. It claims that state agencies are better positioned to respond to local needs. But that’s not what families are saying. Parents of children with disabilities are worried. Advocates are furious. And educators are scrambling to understand what this would mean for their classrooms. Because when you remove federal enforcement, you remove the safety net. You remove the pressure. You remove the consequences.
Let’s be clear: the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act isn’t optional. It’s a civil rights law. It guarantees that students with disabilities have access to a free and appropriate public education. It mandates individualized education plans. It requires schools to provide necessary services. And it gives families the right to file complaints when those services are denied. That’s where federal oversight comes in. It’s the backstop. The watchdog. The reason schools take compliance seriously.
Without it, what happens?
States with strong special education programs might continue doing the right thing. But others? They could cut corners. Delay services. Ignore complaints. And there would be no federal investigation. No corrective action. No accountability. Just silence.
This isn’t hypothetical. We’ve seen it before. In states where enforcement is weak, students fall through the cracks. They’re placed in segregated classrooms. Denied speech therapy. Suspended for behaviors linked to their disabilities. And their families are left fighting alone. That’s the reality we’re heading toward if this proposal moves forward.
And let’s talk about equity. Because this isn’t just a policy shift, it’s a justice issue.
Students with disabilities are disproportionately low-income. Disproportionately Black and Brown. Disproportionately marginalized. When enforcement disappears, those disparities grow. Wealthier families can hire lawyers. They can move districts. They can advocate. But others? They’re stuck. They’re silenced. They’re told to wait. And wait. And wait.
This plan doesn’t empower states. It empowers neglect.
It also raises serious legal questions. Can the federal government abdicate its enforcement role under a civil rights law? Can it delegate that responsibility without violating the statute? Legal scholars are already weighing in. Some say the move could face court challenges. Others argue it undermines the very foundation of IDEA. But while the legal debate unfolds, students are the ones at risk. Students who need speech therapy. Occupational therapy. Behavioral support. Students who deserve more than a political experiment.
The administration claims this is about efficiency. But efficiency for whom? For bureaucrats? For budget hawks? Because it’s not efficient for families navigating broken systems. It’s not efficient for teachers trying to meet IEP goals without support. It’s not efficient for students waiting months for evaluations. This isn’t streamlining. It’s sidelining.
And the timing? It’s strategic. The proposal comes as federal education officials face mounting pressure to reduce spending. It comes amid broader efforts to decentralize oversight. It comes in a political climate where disability rights are often treated as expendable. That’s not coincidence. That’s calculation.
So what can be done?
Advocates are mobilizing. Disability rights organizations are urging public comment. Legal experts are preparing challenges. Families are sharing their stories. And they must be heard. Because this isn’t just a policy fight—it’s a moral one. It’s about whether we believe every student deserves a fair shot. Whether we believe in equal protection. Whether we believe in justice.
The Department of Education is accepting feedback on the proposal. That means there’s still time to act. Still time to push back. Still time to say no.
No to neglect. No to abandonment. No to a system that leaves the most vulnerable behind.
Because special education isn’t a state-by-state experiment. It’s a promise. A legal one. A moral one. And it must be kept.
This proposal must be rejected. And the fight for disability rights must continue. Loudly. Relentlessly. Until every student is seen. Heard. And protected.
