Background:

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and its sub-agency, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), are vital components of the U.S. Department of Education.  They are legally tasked with ensuring millions of children with disabilities receive a free and appropriate public education as required by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

But now, this entire system of federal oversight is being systematically threatened.

The Threat is Clear and Present:

On October 10, 2025, recent reports revealed that the Trump administration was not only cutting special education staff; but actively started federal layoffs for over 4,000 employees at eight different departments.  However, on October 15th, U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California issued a temporary order halting these layoffs, recognizing their likely illegality and the irreparable harm they cause.

Planned Elimination of Senior Roles: The administration has proposed the permanent elimination of senior management roles within OSEP, including the Director of the Office of Special Education Programs and other key supervisory positions.

Gutting the "State Monitoring and State Improvement" Division: This is the team responsible for ensuring states comply with federal law (IDEA).  Without this oversight, there is no federal backstop to hold states accountable for failing to serve students with disabilities.

Shifting to a "Partnership" Model: The administration's stated goal is to replace federal enforcement and monitoring with a voluntary "partnership" model with states.  This would effectively end federal enforcement of IDEA, abandoning the law's promise of educational equity and leaving the rights of 7.5 million students dependent on the varying resources and political will of their individual states.
This is a deliberate attempt to nullify the IDEA from within, threatening to erase decades of hard-won progress and abandon a generation of disabled students.

My Personal Stake:

As a child, I was supported by an Individualized Education Program (IEP)—a right protected by IDEA and enforced by OSEP.  The tailored support I received did not only help me overcome academic hurdles; it empowered me to harness my full potential.  In my personal story, Breaking the Silence: 33 Years of Autism, Advocacy, and Acceptance, I reflect on how that support changed my life and I owe much of who I am today to the federal framework that ensured students like me were not left behind.

A Critical Update: A Landmark Legal Victory; But the Fight is Far From Over!

UPDATE: In a landmark ruling, a federal judge on October 28th officially STOPPED the Trump administration's layoffs nationwide, blocking their attempt to gut the Department of Education during the shutdown.

U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued a preliminary injunction, siding with the unions who argued the layoffs were "flagrantly unlawful".  This is a monumental victory for accountability and the rule of law.  The judge recognized the severe threat these political attacks posed to the "core function" of our government and the irreparable harm they would cause.

This victory proves our voices are working and we fought back!  However, the administration's broader plan to dismantle OSEP's oversight remains in motion.  Both President Trump and Secretary Linda McMahon have explicitly proposed shifting oversight of federal special education activities to the Department of Health and Human Services, an agency with no experience enforcing education law.  The legal win stops the immediate layoffs, but the policy still remains threatened and our advocacy is now more critical than ever.  Every signature on this petition adds to the public mandate, showing the administration and our lawmakers that we see their larger plan and we demand they preserve federal enforcement of special education law.

This Isn’t About Me, It’s About the People Left Behind.

The silence from much of the press has been discouraging; but this petition was never about headlines.  It is about the families, educators, and children whose lives are being directly impacted.  I don’t care about personal credit; I care about the people who depend on these services.

If the press won’t tell this story, we will tell it ourselves.  Every signature sends a powerful message: “We see what is happening, and we refuse to accept the dismantling of IDEA.”

Our Demands:

We urgently call on the U.S. Department of Education, Congress, and our elected representatives to:

• CEASE all plans to dismantle OSERS and OSEP and fully restore their staffing, funding, and enforcement authority.
• PROTECT the federal government's role as the ultimate enforcer of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
• REJECT the shift from enforcement to a voluntary "partnership" model and maintain robust state monitoring and oversight to hold states accountable for serving all students.

Conclusion:

The legal victory shows we can win, but the newly revealed plans show how much we have left to lose.  We must use this momentum to protect not just the employees, but the very mission of the office.  Without strong federal oversight, the promise of IDEA is empty.

This is not about partisan politics.  It is about upholding federal law, accountability, and the civil rights of the most vulnerable among us.  Please, add your voice.  Sign this petition to defend the future of special education and show that we will not allow decades of progress to be erased.

Thank you for standing with us!