Disability Scoop

A deal to end the nation’s longest-ever government shutdown is reversing plans to gut the U.S. Department of Education’s special education office and providing funds for other disability programs — at least temporarily. President Donald Trump signed legislation late Wednesday to fund the government, bringing the 43-day shutdown to an end. The spending package funds some things for the year, but will ensure spending for most federal agencies — including the vast majority of disability programs — only through Jan. 30. The agreement also requires the Trump administration to reverse layoffs issued during the shutdown and precludes any similar firings through Jan. 30.

Disability advocates warned that dismantling the special education office — and the resulting lack of federal oversight — put the rights guaranteed to students under IDEA at risk. Already, they said they were hearing that some local officials were asking which parts of IDEA could be ignored since no one in Washington was paying attention.

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