If the U.S. Department of Education disappears, millions of students with disabilities will face even greater barriers to getting the education they deserve. They are our neighbors, classmates, friends, and family members. When we take away the protections and resources that make education possible, we don’t just fail them—we fail as a society.
In 1971, before federal protections for people with disabilities existed, states were free to exclude children with disabilities from their public schools—and many did. Millions of children were denied an education, not because they couldn’t learn, but because our society didn’t believe they were worth educating. That changed because of federal action. Parents, led by my organization, The Arc, fought in court and won. Their victory laid the foundation for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), securing the right to a free, appropriate public education for students with disabilities, regardless of the nature or severity of their disability.
Now, access to that right is in jeopardy, and parents across the country are alarmed.
Calls to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education have begun to appear on mainstream platforms, with members of Congress openly advocating for its elimination. This proposal isn’t just a bureaucratic shift; it’s an existential threat to students with disabilities and their families. While IDEA would remain law, without federal oversight, there would be few mechanisms to ensure states follow it.
When education is limited, so is opportunity. Without education, students with disabilities face higher rates of poverty, unemployment, poor health, and social isolation. Education is the foundation for independence, inclusion, and a future with choices. Strip it away, and we are not just limiting potential—we are forcing millions of people into a lifetime of barriers and hardship.
This issue is personal for me. As a former deputy assistant secretary in the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and a lifelong advocate for disability rights, I have seen firsthand what happens when children with disabilities face barriers—and how the Department of Education steps in to make things right.
Here’s a real-life example. A few years ago, parents in Texas discovered that the state had an unfair limit on the number of children with disabilities who could receive special education services. The cap was set at just 8.5 percent, even though nearly 15 percent of students in most states are eligible for these services. These concerned parents reached out to the Department of Education for help. The department’s staff worked closely with the state, guiding them on what needed to be done to fix the problem. After months of collaboration, Texas removed the cap, ensuring that every child who qualifies for special education can now get the support they need.
The Department of Education does far more than provide support to state departments of education. It funds high-quality training for special education teachers, drives innovation in how we educate students with disabilities, supports parents, and enforces disability rights laws. It also ensures that when students with disabilities are not able to access appropriate special education services, families have a way to fight back. In fact, the largest category of complaints filed with the Department of Education are from parents of students with disabilities who believe their children are being denied the education they need and deserve. In many cases, the Department of Education works directly with school districts to resolve these issues and improve services.
What does this work mean for children with disabilities? Consider Whitman, an 11-year-old with autism and apraxia who is nonspeaking and uses an augmentative communication device to communicate. The support he receives through special education has been life-changing—not just for him, but for his entire family. At first, he was placed in a school where all the children had disabilities. He struggled until the school started a program that helped Whitman learn alongside his non-disabled peers. Now, he is not only excelling academically but recently performed in two school musicals—something his family never imagined possible.
Decades ago, the United States decided that having a disability or living in a certain state should not determine whether a child receives a quality education. That promise is now under attack. Dismantling the Department of Education wouldn’t just turn back the clock—it would create chaos and deepen inequality. It would mean fewer trained teachers, weaker enforcement of disability rights, and more children slipping through the cracks.
The stakes have never been higher. If we allow the Department of Education to be dismantled, we not only undo decades of progress; we also risk abandoning the promise that every child deserves a chance to succeed. We cannot let this happen. The futures of millions of students are in our hands—and we must protect them.
Katy Neas is CEO of The Arc of the United States. She previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary and Acting Assistant Secretary in the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education.
The views expressed in this article are the writer’s own.
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