[UPDATED] Fact Sheet: Understanding Current Threats Facing the Federal Department of Education and What They Mean for Students with Disabilities

What Is Happening Right Now?

The Department of Education (ED) is a government agency that oversees federal education policy and administers funding for programs and individuals. The ED has undergone numerous concerning changes throughout the Trump administration, such as:

• On March 20, 2025, President Trump signed an Executive Order, directing the federal Department of Education to “facilitate the closure of the Department of Education and return authority over education to the States…”
• President Trump and Education Secretary Linda McMahon have taken steps to dismantle the department, firing nearly 50% of its workforce.
• In September 2025, the Trump administration cancelled more than $30 million of federal grants supporting students with disabilities. Additionally, the FY 2026 budget, now stalled in Congress, calls for a 15% decrease in overall funding to the Department of Education.
• Most recently, on October 10, 2025, the Trump administration announced a “reduction-in-force”, which cut almost all staff in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services. These staff members were responsible for billions of dollars in special education funding and providing special education services to the 7.5 million children with disabilities in the country.