Critical Support at Risk: How Black Students with Disabilities Face Uncertain Futures

Challenges are rising for Black students with disabilities who require federal support, following the Trump administration’s recent termination of nearly all personnel within the Education Department's special education unit. On October 10, hundreds of employees from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) were laid off as part of ongoing budget cuts within the U.S. Department of Education. However, a federal judge intervened on Wednesday, temporarily halting the layoffs after unions initiated legal action against the government. Judge Susan Illston of the Northern District of California deemed the firings “enormously disruptive” to students, as reported by The 74. The department has long monitored educational inequities affecting K-12 students, particularly those in special education, relying on data to allocate resources aimed at mitigating these disparities. Eric Duncan of EdTrust emphasized the critical role of the federally mandated protections that help vulnerable students achieve educational success. Meanwhile, the Office for Civil Rights grapples with an escalating backlog of discrimination complaints, exacerbated by the layoffs.