Special education staff decimated after Trump administration firings: Can vital services survive without those who run them?

The Department of Education has seen a significant reduction in staff responsible for special education programmes following mass firings during the recent federal government shutdown, sources within the agency told ABC News. The layoffs have left key offices under-resourced, raising concerns over the immediate impact on children with disabilities and the administration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Multiple employees within the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) — which oversees IDEA and its $15 billion funding — were among those cut. One department leader, speaking anonymously to ABC News, described the situation as “absurd” and questioned who would be left to administer vital programmes without staff. Mass layoffs hit criti