Disability rights groups have released a statement to the U.S. Department of Education regarding the Reduction in Force (RiF) at the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and other offices.
The statement, which has been signed by a broad coalition of national, state, and local disability, civil rights, and education organizations, sounds the alarm over sweeping layoffs at the U.S. Department of Education. The letter points out that “[t]hese cuts have gutted key offices—including the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE)—threatening decades of progress in protecting students with disabilities.”
The signing organizations “urge the Administration to reverse course immediately and restore staffing and transparency at the U.S. Department of Education.” It calls on Congress to do the same.
The letter concludes with, “Strong federal leadership is not optional—it’s a moral and legal obligation for our nation’s children with disabilities.”
