By Kanika Cousine
Imagine being a young student with a disability, walking into school each morning unsure if you will receive the support you need to succeed and reach your potential. Now imagine learning that the federal office charged with protecting your rights has been dismantled. On Oct. 11, 2025, the U.S. Department of Education eliminated its Office of Special Education, resulting in nearly 1,400 layoffs. For countless students, this is not just a bureaucratic decision. It is a direct threat to their education and their future.
Even before this federal action, special education faced severe challenges. In 2024, 72 percent of fourth-grade students with disabilities scored below basic in reading, and 74 percent of eighth-grade students scored below basic in math. Schools struggled to fill special education teaching positions, with 74 percent reporting vacancies and an annual turnover rate of 15 percent. State funding was inconsistent, resulting in some districts having significantly fewer resources than others, despite serving similar student populations. These concerns suggest that the system needs to be fixed, but dismantling it is not the solution.
The Department of Education has repeatedly failed students with disabilities. Federal oversight has been inconsistent, enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act has been erratic, and funding shortfalls have gone unaddressed. Instead of leading significant reforms to
strengthen services, the department has removed the very office meant to protect students. This decision is not just neglect. It is a betrayal of the most vulnerable learners in our schools.
Special education services are lifelines. They provide individualized instruction, one-on-one assistants, therapy and emotional support. Ten-year-old Aiden relies on his aide to access reading materials and complete assignments. Without that help, simple tasks become overwhelming, and Aiden risks falling behind in ways that could have a lasting impact on him. The federal special education office existed to ensure children like Aiden could get the services they needed. Removing it eliminates the very structure necessary to repair and strengthen the system.
The consequences are profound. Students may face deferred interventions, reduced therapy, and loss of services, leading to widening achievement gaps and fewer future opportunities. Black students with disabilities face compounded inequities, as systemic underfunding and structural barriers already limit access to high-quality education. The system was flawed, but wiping it out removes any chance of consequential reform. This is another example of the Department of Education failing its students.
Communities, schools and parents cannot afford to wait. While traditional partnership and funding advocacy are important, they have demonstrated an inability to meet the needs of students with disabilities. Schools must pursue bold, innovative strategies to fill gaps and ensure equitable access. Districts can form regional special education cooperatives to pool specialized staff such as speech therapists, behavioral specialists and aides, so that smaller or underfunded schools have access to expertise they could not afford individually. Real-time digital monitoring of Individualized Education Program service delivery can flag skipped sessions or gaps immediately, allowing parents and administrators to intervene before students fall behind. Outcome-based funding models, tied to measurable progress rather than program presence, can incentivize schools to ensure interventions are effective. Parent-led advocacy networks with access to legal support can help families enforce their IDEA rights promptly and effectively. Specialized innovation grants can fund projects targeting underserved students, including culturally relevant therapies and adaptive technology. State-federal partnership task forces that include officials, educators and parents can proactively assess equity, service delivery and outcomes, guaranteeing accountability is proactive rather than reactive. Together, these strategies can protect students’ rights, strengthen services and create a system capable of truly supporting every child.
Every student deserves the chance to flourish, excel and achieve their fullest potential. Special education needed fixing, not dismantling. The Department of Education must be held accountable for its repeated failures and act now to restore oversight, strengthen services and reaffirm that students with disabilities are a national priority. Our children’s right to education and opportunity cannot be compromised for the sake of politics or administrative decisions.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.