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Research Evidence to Support Students with Disabilities: How Reduced Federal Oversight Could Harm Students and What to Do About It

Children actively learning with a colorful abacus in a preschool setting, enhancing educational fun.

The Trump administration recently released its FY27 federal budget proposal for education, reintroducing many of the same failed initiatives for special education that were rejected by Congress in the FY26 budget. Additionally, and despite multiple lawsuits challenging its legality, the administration has taken steps to dismantle the U.S. Education Department (USED) and reshuffle responsibility for core priorities to other agencies, including its intention to move oversight of programs for students with disabilities to Health and Human Services (HHS).

The administration’s FY27 budget proposal includes increased funding for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B state grants (age 3-21) and IDEA part C (infants and toddlers), while eliminating IDEA Part D (personnel development and technical assistance) and IDEA Preschool Grants. The proposal also significantly cuts Education Department staff, including at the Office of Special Education Programs (-80%) and the Office for Civil Rights (-49%), two offices that play a significant role in oversight and accountability for students with disabilities. The proposal also includes an 85% reduction in the Institute of Education Sciences’ special education research program.

In addition to funding concerns, advocates also worry that the administration’s commitment to “increasing flexibility” could make students with disabilities even more vulnerable by reducing oversight and accountability for state responsibilities under IDEA.

Education Law Center, together with partners at Research for Action and the Center for Outcomes Based Contracting, developed a set of evidence-based resources to help advocates understand the role of the USED in supporting students with disabilities and the potential harms of reduced federal oversight and funding. The resources include the following in-depth research briefs:

  • A policy review of the ways in which USED oversight supports students with disabilities through monitoring, evaluation, and research;
  • A research review of federal oversight of racial disproportionality in special education, and how relaxing federal reporting requirements increases the likelihood that racial/ethnic disparities in identification, placement, and discipline practices for special education students will go unidentified or unaddressed;
  • A research review of the implications of loosening federal oversight for special education teacher preparation as states face significant and persistent special education teacher shortages.

Additional resources include:

  • Fact sheets that distill our in-depth briefs into an easy-to-read and share formats;
  • A Frequently Asked Questions guide that clarifies the Education Department’s role in supporting students with disabilities through IDEA
  • Talking Points and Resources from our February webinar on this topic to help advocates build effective messages

Our reviews of the evidence make clear that IDEA’s effectiveness in protecting and supporting students with disabilities is dependent not only on federal funding levels, but also sustained commitment to federal standards, oversight and enforcement. Reducing federal monitoring or restructuring IDEA funding would likely increase variation across states, weaken protections for students with disabilities, and put service quality at risk, particularly for children with the greatest needs.

“In this climate of federal uncertainty, it is more important than ever that state policymakers and school district leaders take steps to bolster protections for students with disabilities,” said Danielle Farrie, ELC Research Director. “Our reviews include clear policy considerations for state lawmakers, and we encourage advocates to raise these issues with policymakers now to ensure that protections for students with disabilities are not undermined by federal policy.”

For more information on ELC’s Research Evidence Against Dismantling the U.S. Department of Education project, visit our webpage and check back periodically for updates. This project is supported by the William T. Grant Foundation and the Spencer Foundation.

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Press Contact:
Sharon Krengel
Director of Policy, Strategic Partnerships and Communications
skrengel@edlawcenter.org
973-624-1815, x240