U.S. News

More than 8 million American children with disabilities are starting the new school year with guarantees of a decent public education at their local schools and federal funding that helps pay for it. But parents and advocates are split on whether a Trump administration move that transfers federal responsibility for special education from the Department of Education to the Department of Health and Human Services will help or harm students with disabilities. The Trump administration announced the change over the summer, saying it will boost academic achievement of students with disabilities and make it easier for them to access programs and become self-sufficient. Some parents fear the reverse will happen, meaning they will have to fight harder for their children’s educational rights – historically protected for decades by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. Among the detractors is Katie Moureau, who has three kids receiving special education services at schools in Cottage Grove, Wisconsin. She says the change could be a step toward a scenario in which “all children with disabilities will lose the federal oversight and accountability that makes their rights under IDEA meaningful.”