Fact Sheet: How Eliminating the Department of Education Threatens Students With Disabilities

February 27, 2026 - 11:01

The potential dissolution of the federal Department of Education represents a profound threat to the educational rights and support structures for millions of students with disabilities across the nation. This move, part of a broader administrative agenda, seeks to dismantle a key agency responsible for enforcing critical civil rights laws and distributing essential funding.

At the heart of the concern is the enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). This landmark law guarantees a free and appropriate public education tailored to the unique needs of students with disabilities. The Department of Education plays an indispensable role in ensuring states and school districts comply with IDEA's mandates, providing both oversight and technical assistance. Its elimination could severely weaken accountability, leading to inconsistent implementation and potentially leaving vulnerable students without legally guaranteed services.

Furthermore, the Department administers billions of dollars in federal funding for special education programs. Dispersing this authority could jeopardize the stable allocation of resources, creating funding uncertainties for schools and directly impacting the availability of specialized instruction, therapies, and classroom accommodations. The move raises alarms among advocates, educators, and families who rely on these federal protections to ensure equitable access to education. The proposed structural change risks replacing a uniform national commitment with a fragmented patchwork of state-level policies, potentially rolling back decades of progress in educational inclusion.