Right now, millions of children with disabilities are at risk of being forgotten.

In the middle of a government shutdown, the Trump administration has gutted the federal office that oversees special education nationwide, laying off the staff responsible for protecting and supporting 7.5 million students with disabilities.

This office, known as the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), is the heart of special education oversight in America. It ensures that every state complies with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)—a federal civil rights law that guarantees children with disabilities the right to a free and appropriate public education.

But now, nearly everyone in that office has been laid off.

That means no one is left to investigate when schools fail to provide services.

No one is there to answer desperate calls from parents.

No one is reviewing state data or enforcing the law meant to protect our kids.

For decades, parents have fought to make sure children with disabilities aren’t pushed aside. But with these layoffs, that fight just got harder. These aren’t just cuts, they are a direct threat to the rights and futures of our children.

We can’t let this happen in silence.

We call on Congress and the U.S. Department of Education to immediately reverse the layoffs at OSERS and fully restore its staffing and oversight powers. Every child, regardless of ability, deserves to be seen, supported, and protected under the law.

Families shouldn’t be left to fight this system alone. Our children deserve better than to be abandoned.

Sign this petition to demand that the federal government restore the office responsible for safeguarding the rights of children with disabilities before it’s too late.

Photo: US News