STATEMENT
EPIC Opposes Eliminating the US Dept of Education and
Massive Cuts to its Workforce
EPIC Disability Advocacy is gravely concerned about recent presidential actions that severely threaten the future of public education in the United States.
On March 20, 2025, President Donald Trump signed an executive order which aims to eliminate the U.S. Department of Education eventually. The order follows a reduction in the department’s workforce by half to about 2,000 employees earlier this month. Combined, these actions raise serious concerns about the future of public education and the protections afforded to millions of students, particularly the most vulnerable such as students with disabilities.
How Does the Department of Education Protect and Support Students with Disabilities?
The Department of Education plays a critical role in ensuring equitable access to education for all students, from preschool to higher education and vocational training. It oversees essential programs and protections that directly benefit students with disabilities, including:
- Special Education Services
- Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): Guarantees free appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment for students with disabilities.
- Individualized Education Programs (IEPs): Provides customized educational plans tailored to meet individual needs, including services like speech, occupational, and physical therapy.
- Early Intervention Programs: Supports infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) through developmental assessments and therapies.
- Disability Rights and Protections
- Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: Prohibits discrimination against students with disabilities in federally funded programs.
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): Ensures access to public education and prohibits discrimination in schools.
- Higher Education Support
- Transition Services: Helps students with disabilities move from high school to college or employment.
- Disability Services Offices (DSOs): Provides accommodations like assistive technology, extended test times, and note-taking support.
- Federal Student Aid: Offers financial assistance such as grants, loans, and work-study programs for eligible students.
- Assistive Technology and Resources
- Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP): Funds initiatives that provide assistive technology for learning.
- Accessible Educational Materials (AEM): Ensures textbooks and digital content are available in accessible formats for all learners.
- Workforce and Vocational Support
- Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services: Assists individuals with disabilities in preparing for and maintaining employment.
- Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA): Provides job training programs for individuals with disabilities.
What are the Potential Risks of Dismantling the Department of Education?
Dismantling the Department of Education and transferring its responsibilities to other agencies, like Health and Human Services, could disrupt critical oversight functions that ensure compliance with federal laws like IDEA, Section 504, and ADA. Without these safeguards, the following are at risk:
1. Loss of Expertise
The Department of Education has specialized knowledge in overseeing programs like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), ensuring students with disabilities receive appropriate services. Transferring responsibilities to other agencies, such as HHS, risks the loss of expertise, which could lead to weaker enforcement of legal protections and reduced access to individualized education programs (IEPs).
2. Reduced Oversight and Civil Rights Protections
The Department of Education plays a critical role in enforcing IDEA, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act. Eliminating the department and dispersing its federal oversight responsibilities risks that discriminatory practices, such as segregating students with disabilities or denying them necessary accommodations, could return without recourse or consequences.
3. Funding Disruptions
The Department distributes billions in IDEA funding to states annually. Transferring this responsibility risks delays, inequitable distribution or mismanagement, which could harm schools’ ability to provide special education services, hire qualified staff, and purchase necessary materials.
4. Inequities Between States
Federal oversight ensures uniform standards for special education across states. Without it, access to services could vary widely, leaving families in less-resourced states struggling to secure adequate support for their children.
5. Strain on Families
Parents may face increased challenges navigating fragmented systems or advocating for their children’s rights without a centralized agency to oversee compliance with federal laws.
Overall, these changes could erode decades of progress in integrating students with disabilities into public education and ensuring their rights are upheld.
What Can You Do to Protect Public Education?
There is still time to advocate for maintaining strong federal oversight of education programs that protect vulnerable students. The executive order is only the first step in what could become a broader effort requiring congressional approval.
EPIC urges all Americans to contact their federally elected officials today. Demand that they oppose any efforts to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education or weaken its ability to support students with disabilities. Together, we can ensure that every student has access to a quality education that meets their needs.
Act Now!
Contact your federally elected officials today and demand that they oppose the dismantling of the U.S. Department of Education. Urge them to preserve the programs, funding, and protections that help millions of students access the education they deserve. Click here to see EPIC’s resources to take action.
We must defend the right to education and ensure that every learner has the chance to thrive.
Our students deserve better — let’s fight for their future.
Contact EPIC
Amanda Steele, Board President
Phone: 480-512-2584
Email: info@epicdisability.org
Website: epicdisability.org/contact