Joint Statement on the Elimination of OSEP and the Future of IDEA Oversight
The U.S. Department of Education executed a sweeping dismantling of its Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) over the weekend by issuing Reduction in Force notices that will terminate the positions of all but 2 or 3 OSEP. This move leaves no oversight on how states use IDEA dollars, ensure schools meet their legal obligations, or protect families when their children’s rights are violated.
The very infrastructure that has upheld decades of disability rights is now gone.
The nonprofit community of child advocates, special education, and disability rights is alarmed by the U.S. Department of Education’s decision over the weekend to dismantle OSEP.
The CA Alliance, together with Disability Rights California and the California Association of Private Special Education Services (CAPSES) demand the continued protection and enforcement of the rights of children and families that OSEP was created to uphold.
Students with disabilities, and the families, educators, and providers who support them, deserve more than promises. They deserve protection with power behind them. Read our full statement below, and stay tuned for future advocacy opportunities.