Last year marked 50 years of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the momentous law that secured federal protections for infants, toddlers, and students with disabilities and their families. Today, more than 8 million individuals with disabilities are served under IDEA and guaranteed early intervention and a free appropriate education — more than double the number since the law passed in 1975.
I had the privilege of celebrating this milestone at an elementary school. I imagined a time when many of the students before me would have been excluded from public education and felt proud that our nation opened school doors wider for all children.
IDEA is a generational achievement. But 50 years later, we still have work to do. As many reading this can attest, families still navigate a difficult day‑to‑day reality.
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Over the past several months, my team and I have held listening sessions with over a thousand parents, educators, state early intervention and special education directors, and advocates across the country to better understand the current state of services for individuals with disabilities.
These conversations underscored the promise and importance of IDEA and the importance of federal civil rights protections for children with disabilities. Yet, even with IDEA’s protections, many parents recounted fighting tooth and nail for timely and appropriate services, draining their savings to give their child the best chance to succeed. They described the challenges that abound in every part of their child’s life when they are not receiving necessary educational services.
It should not require Herculean effort to obtain what the law guarantees.
As the Trump administration scales back federal micromanagement when it hinders success, we are equally committed to bolstering the efficacy of federal oversight where it is essential.
The work ahead requires a federal partnership that supports state and local efforts to make systems that are successful for parents, educators and communities serving individuals with disabilities.
After careful deliberation and collaboration with stakeholders, we are partnering with the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to support the administration of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and with the Department of Justice to bolster the Office for Civil Rights’ enforcement of federal civil rights laws.
With federal law as the heavy anchor, our goal in this partnership is to break down the bureaucratic barriers and strengthen the coordination of resources to improve programs that serve infants, toddlers, children and adults.
By closely partnering with HHS, which oversees programs for millions of individuals with disabilities, we will align federal services to improve academic outcomes, strengthen access to programs and information and support people with disabilities so they can gain self-sufficiency, life tools and meaningful employment that they need to succeed in their lives.
While we strengthen program alignment with HHS, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (ED-OCR) will partner with DOJ to provide more responsive and coordinated enforcement of our nation’s civil rights laws. ED-OCR and DOJ will combine their expertise and capacity to bolster evaluation, investigation, resolution of complaints and, above all, enforce critical protections for all students.
We heard from numerous stakeholder groups and parents. It’s important to me to provide you with some assurances:
IDEA predates the Department of Education and will continue to exist long after.
Likewise, the government’s obligation to enforce civil rights law predates the existence of the Department of Education and will continue to exist long after. No partnership can alter OSERS’ or OCR’s legal responsibilities, or the rights individuals are afforded under federal law.
IDEA, as an education law, ensures that a child’s disability isn’t viewed as a medical condition that needs to be treated. IDEA ensures a free, appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment and federal civil rights laws prevent discrimination on the basis of disability for students in K-12 settings.
OSERS and OCR will maintain their independent statutory functions without interruption, and will continue to partner together, just as they always have, to vigorously enforce the law to ensure states and schools are in compliance.
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Not only will IDEA funds still flow to states, but under the Trump administration, we proposed to Congress that special education funding should increase. President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget includes a request for a historic increase of more than half a billion dollars above the previous appropriation Congress made for special education services and proposals to reduce paperwork burdens, so special education teachers can spend more time serving students. And just last month, we announced a new $144 million boost for states and local agencies for IDEA programs.
Parents: I’ve heard you. The decision I’ve made ensures programmatic alignment, bolsters enforcement of the law, and provides us with the best opportunity to address the very things you’ve told me need to be fixed.
I will not relent in advocating for you and your children, so that 50 years from now, we can look back and be amazed at the progress we have made.
My team and I are honored to walk side by side with you in this work. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with you to make this partnership successful.
