President Donald Trump has announced sweeping layoffs across the Department of Education amid an ongoing federal government shutdown.
Among those impacted are offices that oversee special education like the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS).
Across the country, the reduction-in-force (RIF) order has so far impacted dozens of staff members who oversee $15 billion in funding.
Those funds ensure states provide special education services to around 7.5 million students with disabilities.
Kentucky Commissioner of Education Robbie Fletcher said his office is aware of the RIF but doesn’t yet know the overall impact across the Commonwealth.
“At this time, we are unable to confirm details directly with the U.S. Department of Education (USED) due to the ongoing federal government shutdown,” Fletcher said. “KDE is actively monitoring the situation. Thus far, there has been no impact on services provided to students and no interruption or reduction in federal funding.”
“Even if there has been a reduction in force at USED, it is important to note that the requirement to comply with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is in full force.”
The RIF largely impacts staffing that oversees school compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The federal law ensures that students with disabilities receive a free, appropriate public education and ensures special education and necessary services to those children. While the RIF does not reduce those requirements, it reduces the staffing that oversees school compliance with the requirements.
Layoffs at the U.S. Education Department have resulted in the loss of around 466 reported jobs so far. Those layoffs were part of a broader RIF on Friday that cut roughly 4,200 jobs across multiple departments.
