Last Friday, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released its Fiscal Year (FY) 2026 budget detail that includes major cuts and changes to education programs, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Described as “streamlining” and “giving power back to the states,” the FY 2026 budget proposes that Congress eliminate all of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part D National Activities currently overseen by the Office of Special Education. As proposed, those program funds would be wrapped into the Part B grants to states (ages 6-21) and would also combine IDEA Part B 619 preschool grants (ages 3-5) into Part B state grants. Part D programs are authorized and required by law to provide essential supports, including parent training and information centers, personnel preparation, technical assistance centers (e.g.. PBIS, significant disproportionality, inclusive classrooms), training for new special educators and general educators, assistive technology/accessibility supports, and more. Because current law does not allow this flexibility -and in fact requires specific activities to be funded and overseen by the Secretary of Education under IDEA Part B 619 and Part D- ED has requested Congress to provide “new appropriations language that would allow States to reserve additional funds for activities previously administered by the Department under the National Activities and Preschool Grant programs” without explaining whether and how the existing Part B 619 and Part D requirements would be altered. COPAA is extremely concerned about the proposal and will continue to recommend to Congress that no changes be made to IDEA through the appropriations process or otherwise at this time.