My family’s first and only move was for the sake of special education. My twin brother, Rohan, had just been diagnosed with profound nonverbal autism. We were 2 years old, and my parents realized the urgency of getting us both into preschool. They were confident I could make the most of any school, but Rohan would need more support than schools near our Missouri apartment could provide.
Our parents were advised to look across the state line to Kansas, which had a public school district known for its special education programs for students from preschool to age 21. And so began our family’s decades-long journey into the world of special education. There were obstacles, but without that move, Rohan would never have made the strides he has made in day-to-day skills and communication.
We owe much of this progress to the U.S. Department of Education, currently under threat from President Donald Trump. The department is responsible for enforcing state compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, which mandates that all public schools provide children with disabilities a free education that is tailored to their individual needs. It also provides significant funding to the states for this purpose. In 2024, the Education Department allocated an estimated $7.9 million for early intervention programs, $420 million for preschools and $14.2 billion for students up to the age of 21. Without this federal support, the 7.3 million children with physical, mental, sensory and learning disabilities risk losing accommodations that provide them with an equal education.
More specifically, these students need Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and 504 Plans, which document specific needs, such as extra time on exams and accessible desks for wheelchair users. The impact of accommodations like these cannot be overstated for children with disabilities. For some, such as those with physical disabilities, IEPs are the difference between forced homeschooling and being able to attend school with peers. For those like Rohan, they are the difference between being trapped in their own world and being able to communicate.
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Rohan’s IEP allowed him not only to spend much of his time in a separate special education classroom with a one-on-one paraprofessional, but also built in weekly speech therapy, occupational therapy and music therapy. Every component of his education plan addressed critical life skills like communicating his needs without verbal language. His school speech therapist worked tirelessly to teach Rohan modified sign language, which he now uses easily to communicate needs, such as for the restroom, a snack or a drink. His quality of life is infinitely better today thanks to the services he received.
It’s true that laws requiring special education will still stand even if the Education Department does not. However, its closure would shift responsibility to the states to allocate funding as they see fit, a move that will inevitably exacerbate cross-state disparities in education quality. States already decide how they define disability and who is eligible for services, which contributes to existing discrepancies in access. For example, one study found that nearly 12 percent of school-age children benefit from special education in Maine and Massachusetts, while only 6 percent do the same in Texas and Hawaii.
Dissolving the Education Department would also do away with quality control, as the department currently conducts an annual state-by-state review of special education programs to identify those in need of federal assistance.
Not only would disparities grow across states, so too would educational inequalities between already disadvantaged families and those with more resources. Even in my well-funded school district, I watched my parents advocate endlessly for the services Rohan needed. They even sought the help of a professional special needs advocate one year when the school reduced Rohan’s weekly speech therapy time. Rohan was lucky to have parents with the time and skills to fight for what he needed and deserved. But many parents who are lower income or non-English speaking do not have the same assets to get their children the accommodations they need and deserve. Reduced federal enforcement of IDEA would inevitably decrease the incentive for schools to provide quality services to students, leaving those parents and children struggling to fight back.
Ultimately, the Education Department protects the right of children across the nation to receive equitable instruction. Without its enforcement of key legislation, millions of children who utilize special education services will be left at the mercy of their states. My family remains ever grateful for the education Rohan received and can only hope current and future generations of students have the same opportunity.
Romila Santra is a member of the class of 2027 at Harvard Medical School and a freelance writer. She is passionate about advocacy for those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She has also written for STAT news.
Contact the opinion editor at opinion@hechingerreport.org.
This story about special education and the Department of Education was produced by The Hechinger Report, a nonprofit, independent news organization focused on inequality and innovation in education. Sign up for Hechinger’s weekly newsletter.
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My family’s first and only move was for the sake of special education. My twin brother, Rohan, had just been diagnosed with profound nonverbal autism. We were 2 years old, and my parents realized the urgency of getting us both into preschool. They were confident I could make the most of any school, but Rohan
The post STUDENT VOICE: What losing the Department of Education would mean for special education appeared first on The Hechinger Report. Early Education, Elementary to High School, Opinion, Race and Equity, Student Voices, Civil rights, Curriculum, Mental health and trauma, Politics, Special education, Trump administration The Hechinger Report
