Rep. Craig Demands Trump Administration Reverse Decision to Decimate Office of Special Education, Rescind Illegal Layoff Notices

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, U.S. Representative Angie Craig called on the Trump Administration to reverse its decision to execute mass layoffs in the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS). In a letter to Office of Management and Budget Director Russell Vought and Department of Education Secretary Linda McMahon, Rep. Craig and 116 of her House colleagues condemned the decision and demanded that the Education Department immediately rescind the termination notices that were sent to OSERS workers.

“These firings, along with other decisions you have made that directly undermine special education, will have a devastating impact on the more than 7.5 million students with disabilities across the country and their families just one month before the 50th anniversary of the passage of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)," the Members wrote.  

 “Decimating these offices threatens accountability for special education and vocational rehabilitation funds, as well as the civil rights Congress has enshrined in federal law, at a time when schools nationwide are already struggling to meet the needs of students and when people with disabilities continue to face barriers to employment,” they continued. “Federal employees at OSERS play a key role in ensuring that federal dollars are spent appropriately and effectively to support students with disabilities.”

 “These reckless terminations are just another in a line of actions by your administration that threaten the rights that individuals with disabilities have fought long and hard for,” the Members concluded. “We urge you to immediately rescind your plans to wrongly fire employees at the agencies listed above so that they can continue working to ensure that every family, no matter where they live or their income, has access to an education that will set them up for a successful future regardless of their child’s disability.”

 Since she came to Congress, Rep. Craig has been a strong advocate for Minnesota’s special education programs – consistently leading legislation to fully fund IDEA.

 Last month, Rep. Craig and Rep. Lucy McBath (GA-06) introduced their Preparing and Retaining All (PARA) Educators Act to help schools recruit, train and retain paraeducators. The bill would establish a grant program to fund pipeline and credentialing programs, high-quality professional development and higher wages for paraprofessionals and special education teachers.   

In April, Rep. Craig introduced the bipartisan IDEA Full Funding Act, which would finally ensure Congress fulfills its commitment to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). She is also a cosponsor of the Protecting Students with Disabilities Act, which would prohibit the use of appropriated funds to eliminate, consolidate or restructure any office with the Department of Education that administers or enforces programs under the IDEA. 

And earlier this year, Rep. Craig brought together special educators, paraprofessionals and parents from Minnesota’s Congressional District to form her inaugural Special Education Advisory Council.

You can read the full text of the letter here.

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