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
Advocacy Without Borders
AFSCME
AFT, AFL-CIO
All4Ed
Alliance to Reclaim Our Schools
Allies for Independence
American Association of People with Disabilities
American Association of University Women (AAUW)
American Association on Health and Disability
American Association on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU)
American Council of the Blind
American Council of Blind Families
American Council of the Blind Next Generation
American Foundation for the Blind
American Music Therapy Association
American Network of Community Options and Resources (ANCOR)
American Occupational Therapy Association
American Psychological Association
American Therapeutic Recreation Association
Angelman Syndrome Foundation
Applied Self-Direction
Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA)
Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired
Association of Assistive Technology Act Programs
Association of Educational Service Agencies (AESA)
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 of Vision Rehabilitation Therapists
Association on Higher Education And Disability (AHEAD)
Attendance Works
Autism Science Foundation
Autism Society of America
Autism Speaks
Autistic Self Advocacy Network
Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law
Beyond-Impact LLC
Black Down Syndrome Association
Calculus Roundtable
Caring Across Generations
CASA
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 and Dana Reeve Foundation
Coalition on Human Needs
COLLABORATIVE SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY
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 Citizens with Low Vision International
Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA)
Cure SMA
Dan Marino Foundation
DCDT
Deaf Equality
Defense of Democracy
Described and Captioned Media Program
Dicapta
Disability Belongs
Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund
Disability Workforce LLC
Disabled Martial Artists Alliance
Diversability LLC
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
Down Syndrome Diagnosis Network
Easterseals, Inc.
EDGE Partners
EdTrust
Educating All Learners Alliance
Education Law Center
Educators for Excellence
Epilepsy Foundation of America
FASD United
First Focus on Children
Foundation for Angelman Syndrome Therapeutics
GLSEN
Griffin-Hammis Associates
Healthy Schools Campaign
Inclusive Development Partners (IDP)
Innovations in Special Education Technology (ISET) Division of Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
International Council on Development and Learning
Joint National Committee for Languages
Lakeshore Foundation
Little Lobbyists
Low Vision Technology
Made for Math
MomsRising
Muscular Dystrophy Association
NAACP
National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE)
National Association for College Admission Counseling
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 Association of Statewide Independent Living Councils (NASILC)
National Association of the Deaf
National Association of the Deaf
National Black Child Development Institute (NBCDI)
National Center for Learning Disabilities
National Charter Collaborative
National CMV Foundation
National Coalition of State Rehabilitation Councils
National Consortium for Physical Education for Individuals with Disabilities (NCPEID)
National Council for Languages and International Studies
National Council of Jewish Women
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 Parents Union
National PLACE
National Rehabilitation Association
National Rural Education Association
National Women’s Law Center
Network of Occupational Therapy Practitioners with Disabilities & Supporters (NOTPD)
New Disabled South
Orientation and Mobility Specialist Association
OT Leaders & Legacies Society
Parents for Public Schools
Pennsylvania Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
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.
Special Education Equal Development Society (SEEDS)
SPEDucator Solutions
Success Beyond Sight
TASH
TDIforAccess
Teach Plus
Teacher Education Division of the Council for Exceptional Children
The Ability Challenge
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 Enriched Living
The Center for Learner Equity
The Coelho Center for Disability Law, Policy, and Innovation
The Division of Evaluation and Assessment for Learning (DEAL)
The Education Policy & Practice Group, LLC
The Gibney Family Foundation
The Hussman Institute for Autism
The National Alliance to Advance Adolescent Health
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)
Touch the Future Inc
Tourette Association of America
TSC Alliance
UnidosUS
United Spinal Association
United States International Council on Disabilities
VisionServe Alliance
WID
Yes! Access.
ZERO TO THREE

State and Local Organizations

ABLE New Hampshire
Able South Carolina
ACCES-VR
Access Living
Advance Illinois
AFT Massachusetts
AHRC Nassau
AHRC NYC
Alabama Association of School Psychologists
Alabama Disabilities Advocacy Program
Alaska Down Syndrome Network
Alaska School Psychologists Association
Alcoa Blount County NAACP
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 Nebraska
American Council of the Blind of Ohio
Arc Mid-Hudson
Arc of Onondaga
ARC of Rockland
Arcohe Union School District
Arizona Council for Exceptional Children (AZCEC)
Arizona Statewide Independent Living Council
Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families
Arts Education in Maryland Schools (AEMS)
Arts Every Day, Inc.
ASAH
Associates for Human Services
Association for Special Children and Families
Association for Vision Rehabilitation and Employment, Inc.
Autism Kids
Autism Society of Maryland
Autistic Women’s Alliance
Bay Cove Human Services
Beaver County Association for the Blind
Belmont-Redwood Shores School District
Black Educator Advocates Network
Braille Revival League of Texas
Brain Injury Association of New York State
Bridge the Gap Advocacy
BRIDGES – Rockland Independent Living Center, Inc.
Bronx Developmental Center Chapter of the Arc New York
Bronx Developmental Disabilities Council
Brookville Center for Children’s Services
Brown on the Spectrum
Butte County SELPA
Cabrillo Unified School District
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
Catalyst for Transformative Change
Center for Accessible Living
Center of Vision Enhancement
Central Ohio Rank and File Educators
Charting the Course
Chautauqua County Chapter, NYSARC, Inc. dba The Resource Center
Choice and Control Inc.
Choices For Community Living, Inc.
Clinton ARC
Club 21 Learning and Resource Center
Coalition for Adequate Funding for Special Education
Coalition of Texans with Disabilities
Coastal Alabama Down Syndrome Society
Collaborative for Exceptional Education
Colorado Association of the Deaf
Columbus Education Justice Coalition
CompassIL
Connecticut Association of School Psychologists
Connections Day School
DBMAT – Deafblind Multihandicapped Association of Texas
DC Special Education Cooperative
Deaf Intervention Services, LLC
DeafBlind Community of Texas
Delaware Association of School Psychologists
Delaware Developmental Disabilities Council
Delaware Governor’s Advisory Council for Exceptional Citizens (GACEC)
Delaware Statewide Independent Living Council
Department of Kinesiology and Health Promotion/University of Kentucky
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 Idaho
Disability Rights Iowa
Disability Rights Louisiana
Disability Rights Maine
Disability Rights Maryland
Disability Rights Michigan
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 Association of Central California
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. Louis
Down Syndrome Association of Houston
Down Syndrome Association of Maryland
Down Syndrome Association of Memphis and The Mid-South
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 San Diego
Down Syndrome Association of Southern Maryland
Down Syndrome Association of Southern New Jersey
Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin
Down Syndrome Connection of the Bay Area
Down Syndrome Connections Nevada
Down Syndrome Foundation of Florida
Down Syndrome Foundation of Orange County
Down Syndrome Foundation of Tallahassee
Down Syndrome Guild of Dallas
Down Syndrome Information Alliance
Down Syndrome Innovations
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
Dynamic Independence
Easterseals Iowa
Easterseals NH
Easterseals Serving Chicagoland and Greater Rockford
EdTrust-Midwest
Education Voters of PA
ElevateDD
Elk Grove Unified School District
Engage New Hampshire
Enhancing Your Strengths
Erase the Space
Esperanza Community Services
Ethiopian Eritrean Special Needs Community Inc.
Exceptional Child Center, DBA Center for Independent Living
Families for Strong Public Schools
Families In Schools
Family Connection of South Carolina
Family Voices NJ
Federation for Children with Special Needs, Inc.
FIRSTwnc
Fort Bragg Unified School District
Gaithersburg HELP
Gem State Developmental Center
George Coalition for Equity in Education (GCEE)
Georgia Association of School Psychologists
Georgia Council of Exceptional Children
Gilroy Unified School District
GMU
Golden Triangle Council of the Blind
Greater Louisville Council of the Blind
HASL Center for Independent Living
Hawai`i Association of School Psychologists
Hawaii Disability Rights Center
Honesty for Ohio Education
Idaho Council for Exceptional Children
Idaho Families of Adults with DisAbilities, Inc.
Idaho State Independent Living Council
Illinois Alliance of Administrators of Special Education
Illinois Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
Illinois Division of Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
Illinois Families for Public Schools
Illinois School Psychologists Association (ISPA)
Illinois State University
Illinois Valley Center for Independent Living
IMPACT CIL
IN-SIGHT
Incompass Human Services, Inc.
InControl Wisconsin
Independent Living Center of North Central Ohio
Independent Living Resource Center SF
Indiana Coalition for Public Education
Indiana Council for Exceptional Children
Indiana Disability Rights
Indiana Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
Indiana Occupational Therapy Association
Infant Development Association of California
Inland Valley Down Syndrome Association
Iowa School Psychologists Association
Iowa Statewide Independent Living Council
Irby Psychological Services
Kansas Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Inc.
Kansas Division for Early Childhood
Kent State University School Psychology Program
Kent Street Coalition
Kentucky Advocates for Inclusion & Accessibility
Kentucky Council for Exceptional Children
Kentucky Council of the Blind
KENTUCKY DIVISION FOR EARLY CHILDHOOD
Kentucky Protection and Advocacy
Kern Down Syndrome Network
Kids First Chicago
Lane Independent Living Alliance (LILA)
League of Education Voters
Learn In My Shoes
Liberty ARC the Montgomery County Chapter NYSARC, Inc.
Lifeworks, Inc.
Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Linking Employment, Abilities & Potential
Living Resources Corp.
Louisiana School Psychological Association
Louisiana Statewide Independent Living Council
Loving Speech Center
Maine Association of School Psychologists (MASP)
Manatee County Council of the Blind
Marin Center for Independent Living
Marin County SELPA
Maryland Alliance for Racial Equity in Education
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 Inclusive Housing
Maryland Out of School Time Network
Maryland School Psychologists’ Association
Maryland Theater Education Association
Massachusetts Down Syndrome Congress
Massachusetts Early Intervention Consortium
Massachusetts School Psychologists Association
Massachusetts Speech-Language Hearing Association
Mendocino County SELPA
Mercer County Association of the Blind
Metropolitan Parent Center, Sinergia Inc
Michigan Council for Exceptional Children
Michigan Statewide Independent Living Corporation
Mid-Ohio Board for an Independent Living Environment (MOBIE)
Minnesota Disability Law Center
Minnesota School Psychologist Association
Mississippi Coalition for Citizens with Disabilities
Mississippi Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition
Missouri Council for Exceptional Children
Missouri Statewide Independent Living Council
Montana Association of School Psychologists
Monterey County Special Education Local Plan Area
Montgomery County Association for the Blind
Montgomery County Federation of Families for Children’s Mental Health, Inc,
Montgomery Theater
National Children’s Center (NCC)
Native American Disability Law Center
Nebraska School Psychologists Association
Nevada Council of the Blind
Nevada Disability Advocacy & Law Center
Nevada Occupational Therapy Association
New Hampshire Assoc of Special Education Administrators
New Hampshire Council on Developmental Disabilities
New Jersey Association of School Psychologists
New Jersey Council for Exceptional Children
New Jersey Division of Early Childhood
New Mexico Association of School Psychologists
New York Association of School Psychologists (NYASP)
New York State Council for Administrators of Special Education
New York State Council For Exceptional Children
NH General Court
NH Universal Changing Stations Alliance
NJ Community Schools Coalition
North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association
North Clackamas School District
North Dakota Association of the Blind, Inc.
North Dakota Occupational Therapy Association
North Santa Cruz County Community Advisory Committee
North Santa Cruz County SELPA
NYSARC Inc., Warren, Washington and Albany Counties Chapter
nysarc/glowarc
Occupational Therapy Association of Hawaii
Office of Deaf & Disability Ministries Archdiocese of Washington
Office of Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities in Puerto Rico (PR P&A)
Ohio Equal Rights
Ohio Occupational Therapy Association
Ohio School Psychologists Association
Ohio Statewide Independent Living Council
Ohio Subdivision of the Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
Oklahoma Disability Law Center
Oklahoma Statewide Independent Living Council
Oregon Chapter of Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children
Oregon Council for Exceptional Children
Oregon SILC
Our Children Our Schools New Jersey
PACER Center
PAIMI Council of Kentucky
Parent Education for Exceptional Children
Parent Information Center of Delaware
Parent Network of WNY
Parent to Parent of Georgia Inc
Parents for Public Schools of Pitt County
Parents Helping Parents Together, Inc
Parents Helping Parents Together, Inc
Parents Helping Parents, 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
Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association
People’s Arc of Suffolk
Pine Belt Down Syndrome Outreach
Protection & Advocacy System, Inc, Wyoming
Resources for Independence Central Valley
RIOTA
Rocky Mountain Down Syndrome Association
Rolling Start, Inc. Center for Independent Living
Rural Schools Association of New York
S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center
San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District
San Luis Obispo County SELPA
San Mateo County SELPA
Santa Barbara County Special Education Local Plan Area
Santa Clarita Valley SELPA
Santa Cruz City Schools
Saugus Union School District
Save Our Schools Arizona
Save Our Schools NJ
SC Partnership of Disability Organizations
Scotts Valley Unified School District
SEEC
Service Center for Independent Life
Sights for Hope
Solano County Special Education Local Plan Area
South Carolina Association of School Psychologists
South Carolina Occupational Therapy Association
South East Santa Clara SELPA
South Orange County SELPA
Southeastern Ohio Center for Independent Living
Speech Garden
St. Louis Arc
Stand For Schools
Start Early Illinois
State Council for Persons with Disabilities
Statewide Organizing for Community eMpowement (SOCM)
Stone Soup Group – Alaska
Strategies for Disability Equity
Streamwood Behavioral Health Systems Innovations Academy
Strong Schools Maryland
Summit Independent Living
Survival Coalition of Wisconsin Disability Organizations
Tennessee Council for Exceptional Children
Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association
Texas Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (TAER)
Texas Association of School Psychologists
Texas Council of Administrators of Special Education
The Arc – Jefferson, Clear Creek & Gilpin Counties
The Arc Alliance, Pennsylvania
The Arc Arapahoe, Douglas & Elbert Counties
The Arc Chemung Schuyler
The Arc Community Advocates
The Arc Connecticut
The Arc Erie County, PA
The Arc Greater Hudson Valley
The Arc Jefferson – St. Lawrence
The Arc Maryland
The Arc Michigan
The Arc Montgomery County
The Arc New York
The Arc of Adams County
The Arc of Alabama
The Arc of Arizona
The Arc of Aurora
The Arc of California
The Arc of Cass County
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 Horry
The Arc of Illinois
The Arc of Iowa
The Arc of King County
The Arc of Macomb County, Inc.
The Arc of Massachusetts
The Arc of Monroe
The Arc of North Carolina
The Arc of Ohio
The Arc of Oklahoma
The Arc of Pennsylvania
The Arc of Philadelphia
The Arc of Rensselaer County
The Arc of Snohomish County
The Arc of South Carolina
The Arc of Southeast Iowa
The Arc of Southside
The Arc of Texas
The Arc of the Piedmont
The Arc of Washington State
The Arc Ontario
The Arc Otsego
The Arc Prince George’s County
The Arc Rockland
The Arc Westchester
The Arc Wisconsin
The Austin Council of the Blind
The Disability Law Center of Alaska
The Down Syndrome Association of Connecticut
The Farmer’s House
The Missouri Occupational Therapy Association (MOTA)
The Parents’ Place of MD
The San Diego Center for the Blind
The South Carolina Human Services Providers Association
The Statewide Independent Living Council of Illinois
The Statewide Independent Living Council of Tennessee – SILCTN
The Voices For The Medically Fragile of New York
Transition Work Group (TWG)
Tri-Valley SELPA
Ukiah Unified School District
Ulster County Children’s Advocacy Network
Utah Association of School Psychologists
Utah Council for Exceptional Children (CEC)
Utah State University Institute for Disability Research, Policy & Practice
Venango County Association for the Blind
Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired
Vermont Association of School Psychologists
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 Association of School Administrators
Washington State Association of School Psychologists (WSASP)
West Contra Costa Unified
West Virginia Occupational Therapy Association
Willits Unified School District
Wisconsin Alliance for Excellent Schools
Wisconsin Board for People with Developmental Disabilities
Wisconsin Education Association Council
Wisconsin Public Education Action
Wisconsin Public Education Network
Wisconsin School Psychologists Association
Wyoming School Psychology Association
Wyoming SILC
Yuba County Office of Education