What the special education layoffs mean for your child’s IEP and school services
While the law protecting students with disabilities hasn’t changed, enforcement and services may be affected by recent federal cuts.
On Friday, October 10, 2025, the Trump administration laid off about 460 people at the Department of Education, part of mass layoffs across the government. The Department of Education layoffs included almost everybody in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).
OSERS houses the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP). OSEP makes sure states are following the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and offers support to families. It’s also responsible for nearly $15 billion in funding for special education.
It’s unclear exactly how many employees were cut. But reports on October 21 indicated that only three staffers remained employed with the OSERS office. The union covering workers who were laid off immediately filed a lawsuit in hopes of reversing the terminations.
On October 15, a federal judge halted the layoffs temporarily while the case continued in court. The federal judge then blocked the layoffs indefinitely on October 28. Education Secretary Linda McMahon also said in an October 15 statement that special education funding would not be impacted by the layoffs.
(The Department of Education did not respond to Understood’s request for comment. Automated email replies at the time cited the government shutdown.)
The government reopened on November 13, and part of the deal to end the shutdown included reinstating all the employees laid off in October. The deal also prohibits the Trump administration from laying off any employees until January 30, 2026. OSEP staff returned to work for now. But it’s unclear what will happen after the January 30 deadline.
The October cuts to the Department of Education were part of a larger push by the Trump administration to give states more oversight over education. It follows earlier department cuts after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on July 14 that Trump could continue with layoffs as part of a plan to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education.
McMahon has also said that programs for students with disabilities might be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). On October 21, a spokesperson for the Department of Education confirmed that they’re considering moving special education to a different department. But they didn’t indicate which department it might move to.
We still don’t have a lot of information about whether cuts to OSEP will move forward again after January 30. We’ll do our best to answer some questions you may have, and we’ll keep updating this article as we learn new information.
What is OSEP?
The Office of Special Education Programs, or OSEP, is part of the U.S. Department of Education. OSEP works to make sure that children with disabilities receive the education and support they’re entitled to under a federal law called the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA.
OSEP’s job is to ensure that schools and states follow the law, and that your child has access to a free appropriate public education, or FAPE. OSEP operates under OSERS, which ultimately reports to the secretary of education.
What will happen to IDEA?
IDEA is a law. The legal requirements of IDEA will not change if the staff cuts are permanent. Only Congress can make changes to this law, and there are currently no known plans to do so.
IDEA grants will continue to be paid despite the government shutdown. McMahon has said that she supports more state funding for students with disabilities.
But without enough staff, the layoffs could mean IDEA funding doesn’t get distributed to schools that need it, said education and disability rights attorney Michael Gilberg.
“The money that’s supposed to be coming from the federal government is not going to be there for the states or the local municipalities,” said Gilberg. “If they don’t have the money, [schools] end up cutting services.”
OSEP is also responsible for reporting statistics related to IDEA each year, as well as for providing guidance on IDEA policy. It’s likely these tasks will be disrupted by the layoffs as well.
Will this affect my child’s IEP or services?
The layoffs will not directly affect your child’s right to a free appropriate public education. IDEA is still the law, so your child’s rights are still protected. But if allowed to continue, the layoffs could have far-reaching effects that may trickle down and affect the supports and services your child receives.
Layoffs will likely make it harder to get answers or support if you have questions about your child’s rights under the law. Parents and even state agencies are already reporting bounced emails, unanswered calls, and delays in guidance.
Without OSEP staff, there’s no longer a clear federal authority to step in when states don’t enforce IEPs or timelines.
Will the workers return now that the government shutdown has ended?
Yes, the workers returned when the government reopened on November 13. Part of the deal to end the shutdown included reinstating all the employees who were laid off. The deal also says that the Trump administration can’t layoff any employees until January 30.
Thumbnail image credit: Stella via Getty Images.