The Texas Tribune

President Donald Trump’s order to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education last month came with promises that federal dollars for special education would stay intact. In CNN’s State of the Union, U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon said protections for students with disabilities are “not going to be disrupted,” but added that she wanted to see special education services be “monitored and taken care of at the state level.” McMahon’s comments align with Texas Republican leaders’ desire to shrink the federal government’s role in education and give states more discretion in how they manage federal resources for public education. But while Texas schools will still receive about $1.3 billion a year in federal special education funds, disability rights advocates fear the changes will mean the state will be left with few guardrails to make sure the money is going toward the students it was intended for.