Broad Coalition of Disability, Civil Rights, and Education Organizations Call for Reversal of Layoffs at Department of Education
October 14, 2025, Washington, D.C. – A broad coalition of national, state, and local disability, civil rights, and education organizations is sounding the alarm over sweeping layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education. These cuts have gutted key offices—including the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)—threatening decades of progress in protecting students with disabilities.
These wholesale terminations place fundamental education laws in peril and place millions of children with disabilities at risk who receive services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and Title IV of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act. These layoffs circumvent the will of Congress and dismantle 50 years of precedent upholding rights for students with disabilities. Without personnel to oversee these laws, the Department cannot provide essential leadership, oversight, guidance, or support to states and schools—jeopardizing students’ access to a free, appropriate public education and hampering the ability of states and localities to serve all students. In addition, the terminations also threaten the vocational rehabilitation system that helps youth and adults with disabilities become employed.
This year marks the 50th anniversary of IDEA, a law that has enjoyed strong bipartisan support for five decades. Rather than celebrating progress, we face a crisis: the dismantling of the very infrastructure Congress created to ensure children with disabilities could reach their full potential, potentially catapulting them back to a time of segregation and refusal to provide educational opportunities.
The undersigned organizations urge the Administration – and call on Congress to do the same – to reverse course immediately and restore staffing and transparency at the U.S. Department of Education. Strong federal leadership is not optional—it’s a moral and legal obligation for our nation’s children with disabilities.
**Signed:**
National Organizations
| AACTE: American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education |
| Access Ready Inc. |
| Accessible College LLC |
| ACVREP |
| AFT, AFL-CIO |
| All4Ed |
| Allies for Independence |
| American Association of People with Disabilities |
| American Association of University Women (AAUW) |
| American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities |
| American Atheists |
| American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) |
| American Council of Blind Families |
| American Council of the Blind Next Generation |
| American Council of the Blind |
| American Therapeutic Recreation Association |
| Angelman Syndrome Foundation |
| Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired |
| Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs |
| Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE) |
| Association of Programs for Rural Independent Living (APRIL) |
| Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) |
| Association of University Centers on Disabilities |
| Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD) |
| Autism Science Foundation |
| Autism Society of America |
| Autism Speaks |
| Autistic Self Advocacy Network |
| Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law |
| Black Down Syndrome Association |
| Caring Across Generations |
| CEC Division on Visual Impairment and DeafBlindness |
| Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP) |
| Center for Public Representation |
| Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder |
| Christopher & Dana Reeve Foundation |
| Coalition on Human Needs |
| Common Coalition |
| CommunicationFIRST |
| Complex and Chronic Conditions, The Division for Physical, Health and Multiple Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children (CCC-DPHMD) |
| Council for Exceptional Children |
| Council for Learning Disabilities |
| Council of Administrators of Special Education |
| Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) |
| Council of State Administrators of Vocational Rehabilitation (CSAVR) |
| Cure SMA |
| Dan Marino Foundation |
| DCDT |
| Disability Belongs |
| Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund |
| Diverse Charter Schools Coalition |
| Division for Communication, Language and D/HH |
| Division for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse Exceptional Learners (DDEL) |
| Division for Early Childhood |
| Division for Emotional and Behavioral Health (DEBH) |
| Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) |
| Division for Research, Council for Exceptional Children |
| Division of International Special Education and Services |
| Division of Leaders and Legacy |
| Division on Autism and Developmental Disabilities |
| Division on Career Development and Transition |
| Down Syndrome Affiliates In Action |
| Down Syndrome Association of Atlanta |
| Easterseals, Inc. |
| EDGE Partners |
| EdTrust |
| Educating All Learners Alliance |
| Education Law Center |
| Educators for Excellence |
| Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics |
| GLSEN |
| Griffin-Hammis Associates |
| Inclusive Development Partners (IDP) |
| Innovations in Special Education Technology (ISET) Division of Council for Exceptional Children (CEC) |
| International Council on Development and Learning |
| Low Vision Technology |
| MomsRising |
| Muscular Dystrophy Association |
| NAACP |
| National Association of Councils on Developmental Disabilities |
| National Association of County Behavioral Health and Developmental Disability Directors (NACBHDD) |
| National Association of Private Special Education Centers (NAPSEC) |
| National Association of School Psychologists |
| National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI) |
| National Center for Learning Disabilities |
| National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID) |
| National Council on Independent Living |
| National DeafBlind Coalition |
| National Disability Action |
| National Disability Institute |
| National Disability Rights Network (NDRN) |
| National Down Syndrome Congress |
| National Down Syndrome Society |
| National Education Association |
| National Family Association for DeafBlind |
| National Federation of the Blind |
| National Health Law Program |
| National Rural Education Association |
| National Women’s Law Center |
| Orientation and Mobility Specialist Association |
| Parents for Public Schools |
| PreK-12 Programs, New America |
| Prevent Blindness |
| School Social Work Association of America |
| SchoolHouse Connection |
| SELF – Special Education Leader Fellowship |
| Southeast Asia Resource Action Center (SEARAC) |
| SPAN Parent Advocacy Network, Inc. |
| Success Beyond Sight |
| TDIforAccess |
| Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children |
| The Advocacy Institute |
| The Arc of the United States |
| The Association for the Gifted- Council for Exceptional Children |
| The Carroll Center for the Blind |
| The Center for Learner Equity |
| The Division of Evaluation and Assessment for Learning (DEAL) |
| The Hussman Institute for Autism |
| The National Association for Down Syndrome |
| The National Association of Federally Impacted Schools (NAFIS) |
| The Partnership for Inclusive Disaster Strategies |
| The Sibling Leadership Network (SLN) |
| TSC Alliance |
| United Spinal Association |
| United States International Council on Disabilities |
| VisionServe Alliance |
| ZERO TO THREE |
State and Local Organizations
| ABLE New Hampshire |
| Advance Illinois |
| AHRC NYC |
| Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program |
| Alaska School Psychologists Association |
| All Blind Children of Texas |
| Alliance of and for Visually Impaired Texans |
| American Council of the Blind of Indiana |
| American Council of the Blind of Ohio |
| Arc Mid-Hudson |
| Arc of Onondaga |
| ARC of Rockland |
| Arizona Council for Exceptional Children (AZCEC) |
| Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families |
| Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS) |
| Arts Every Day, Inc. |
| ASAH |
| Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc. |
| Association of School Psychologists of Pennsylvania (ASPP) |
| Autism Kids |
| Autistic Women’s Alliance |
| Beaver County Association for the Blind |
| Black Educator Advocates Network |
| Braille Revival League of Texas |
| California Alliance of Child and Family Services |
| California Association of O&M Specialists-CAOMS |
| California Association of School Psychologists |
| California Council for Exceptional Children |
| California Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition |
| Center of Vision Enhancement |
| Chautauqua County Chapter, NYSARC, Inc. dba The Resource Center |
| Choices For Community Living, Inc. |
| Clinton ARC |
| Club 21 Learning and Resource Center |
| Coalition for Adequate Funding for Special Education |
| Coastal Alabama Down Syndrome Society |
| Collaborative for Exceptional Education |
| CompassIL |
| Connections Day School |
| DBMAT – Deafblind Multihandicapped Association of Texas |
| DeafBlind Community of Texaas |
| Delaware Association of School Psychologists |
| Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council |
| Delaware Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC) |
| Designer Genes of North Dakota |
| DGCKids |
| Disability Law Center |
| Disability Law Center of Utah |
| Disability Law Center of Virginia |
| Disability Rights Arizona |
| Disability Rights Arkansas |
| Disability Rights California |
| Disability Rights Center – New Hampshire |
| Disability Rights Center of Kansas |
| Disability Rights Connecticut |
| Disability Rights Delaware of Community Legal Aid Society, Inc. |
| Disability Rights Florida |
| Disability Rights Iowa |
| Disability Rights Louisiana |
| Disability Rights Maine |
| Disability Rights Maryland |
| Disability Rights Mississippi |
| Disability Rights Montana |
| Disability Rights Nebraska |
| Disability Rights New Jersey |
| Disability Rights New Mexico |
| Disability Rights New York |
| Disability Rights North Carolina |
| Disability Rights Ohio |
| Disability Rights Oregon |
| Disability Rights South Carolina |
| Disability Rights Vermont |
| Disability Rights Washington |
| Disability Rights Wisconsin |
| Down Syndrome Advocates in Action Nebraska |
| Down Syndrome Alabama |
| Down Syndrome Alliance of the Midlands |
| Down Syndrome Association for Families |
| Down Syndrome Assocation of Maryland |
| Down Syndrome Association of Central Florida |
| Down Syndrome Association of Central Oklahoma |
| Down Syndrome Association of Central Texas |
| Down Syndrome Association of Delaware |
| Down Syndrome Association of Greater St. Loui |
| Down Syndrome Association of Houston |
| Down Syndrome Association of Middle Tennessee |
| Down Syndrome Association of Minnesota |
| Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Indiana |
| Down Syndrome Association of Northeast Ohio |
| Down Syndrome Association of Orange County |
| Down Syndrome Association of Southern Maryland |
| Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin |
| Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area |
| Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida |
| Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County |
| Down Syndrome Foundation of Tallahassee |
| Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas |
| Down Syndrome Network of Montgomery County, MD |
| Down Syndrome Network of Onslow and Carteret Counties (DSNOCC) |
| Down Syndrome Network of West Virginia |
| Down Syndrome of Louisville |
| Down to Defend, Michigan |
| ElevateDD |
| Engage New Hampshire |
| Families for Strong Public Schools |
| Families In Schools |
| Family Voices NJ |
| FIRSTwnc |
| Georgia Association of School Psychologists |
| Georgia Council of Exceptional Children |
| Golden Triangle Council of the Blind |
| Greater Louisville Council of the Blind |
| Hawai`i Association of School Psychologists |
| Hawaii Disability Rights Center |
| Honesty for Ohio Education |
| Idaho Council for Exceptional Children |
| Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education |
| Illinois Families for Public Schools |
| IN-SIGHT |
| Incompass Human Services, Inc. |
| InControl Wisconsin |
| Indiana Coalition for Public Education |
| Indiana Council for Exceptional Children |
| Indiana Disability Rights |
| Inland Valley Down Syndrome Association |
| Kansas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc. |
| Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children |
| Kentucky Protection and Advocacy |
| Kern Down Syndrome Network |
| Kids First Chicago |
| Learn In My Shoes |
| Liberty ARC the Montgomery County Chapter NYSARC, Inc. |
| Lifeworks, Inc. |
| Manatee County Council of the Blind |
| Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities at Kennedy Krieger Institute |
| Maryland Citizens for the Arts |
| Maryland Dance Education Association |
| Maryland Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition |
| Maryland Education Coalition (MEC) |
| Maryland School Psychologists’ Association |
| Maryland Theater Education Association |
| Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress |
| Mercer County Association of the Blind |
| Michigan Council for Exceptional Children |
| Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities |
| Mississippi Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition |
| Missouri Council for Exceptional Children |
| Montgomery County Association for the Blind |
| Native American Disability Law Center |
| Nebraska School Psychologists Association |
| Nevada Council of the Blind |
| Nevada Disability Advocacy & Law Center |
| New Hampshire Assoc of Special Education Administrators |
| New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities |
| New York State Council for Administrators of Special Education |
| New York State Council For Exceptional Children |
| NH Universal Changing Stations Alliance |
| NJ Community Schools Coalition |
| NYSARC Inc., Warren, Washington and Albany Counties Chapter |
| Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities in Puerto Rico (PR P&A) |
| Ohio School Psychologists Association |
| Oklahoma Disability Law Center |
| Our Children Our Schools New Jersey |
| PACER Center |
| Parent Information Center of Delaware |
| Parent to Parent of Georgia Inc |
| Parents Helping Parents Together, Inc |
| Parents of Children with Down Syndrome (PODS) of Prince George’s Co. MD |
| Partnership for Extraordinary Minds (xMinds) |
| Pennsylvania Association for the Blind |
| Pennsylvania Council Of The Blind |
| Pennsylvania Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition |
| People’s Arc of Suffolk |
| Pine Belt Down Syndrome Outreach |
| Protection & Advocacy System, Inc, Wyoming |
| Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association |
| Rural Schools Association of New York |
| Save Our Schools Arizona |
| Save Our Schools NJ |
| SC Partnership of Disability Organizations |
| Sights for Hope |
| South Carolina Association of School Psychologists |
| St. Louis Arc |
| State Council for Persons with Disabilities |
| Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowement (SOCM), |
| Strategies for Disability Equity |
| Streamwood Behavioral Health Systems Innovations Academy |
| Strong Schools Maryland |
| Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations |
| Tennessee Council for Exceptional Children |
| Texas Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (TAER) |
| Texas Association of School Psychologists |
| The Arc Alliance, Pennsylvania |
| The Arc Arapahoe, Douglas & Elbert Counties |
| The Arc Chemung Schuyler |
| The Arc Erie County, PA |
| The Arc Greater Hudson Valley |
| The Arc Maryland |
| The Arc Michigan |
| The Arc Montgomery County |
| The Arc New York |
| The Arc of Alabama |
| The Arc of Arizona |
| The Arc of Aurora |
| The Arc of California |
| The Arc of Dane County |
| The Arc of Delaware |
| The Arc of Delaware County (NYS) |
| The Arc of East Central Iowa |
| The Arc of Greater Beaumont |
| The Arc of Greater Pittsburgh |
| The Arc of Illinois |
| The Arc of Iowa |
| The Arc of King County |
| The Arc of Macomb County, Inc. |
| The Arc of Monroe |
| The Arc of NC |
| The Arc of Ohio |
| The Arc of Philadelphia |
| The Arc of Rensselaer County |
| The Arc of Snohomish County |
| The Arc of South Carolina |
| The Arc of the Piedmont |
| The Arc of Washington State |
| The Arc Ontario |
| The Arc Otsego |
| The Arc Rockland |
| The Arc Westchester |
| The Austin Council of the Blind |
| The Disability Law Center of Alaska |
| The Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut |
| The San Diego Center for the Blind |
| The South Carolina Human Services Providers Association |
| Utah Council for Exceptional Children |
| Venango County Association for the Blind |
| Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired |
| Vermont Association of School Psychologist |
| Vermont Council for Exceptional Children |
| VIA (Visually Impaired Advancement) |
| VIPS (Vision Interventions and Parental Support) |
| Virginia Academy of School Psychologists (VASP) |
| Virginia Council for Exceptional Children |
| Virginia Down Syndrome Association |
| Vision Forward Association |
| VisionCorps |
| Washington State Association of School Psychologists (WSASP) |
| Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools |
| Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities |
| Wisconsin Public Education Action |
| Wisconsin School Psychologists Association |
Share:
Related Posts
Featured
News
Releases
Updates and News
