The U.S. Department of Education has reportedly dismissed nearly all employees in its Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) as part of mass layoffs tied to the ongoing federal government shutdown.
The union representing the agency’s workforce confirmed the move Friday, calling it a devastating blow to students with disabilities and K-12 schools nationwide.
According to Rachel Gittleman, president of the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252, the department’s workforce reduction affected most non-leadership positions within the special education division. She said employees in the TRIO program, which supports college access for disadvantaged students, were also among those laid off.
The firings, which the union has already challenged in court, come amid the Trump administration’s efforts to push Democrats toward ending the prolonged government shutdown. “These layoffs double down on the harm to K-12 students and schools across the country,” Gittleman told USA TODAY.
While the Education Department has not publicly confirmed the exact number of layoffs, the Justice Department revealed in a Friday court filing that more than 460 department employees were terminated, accounting for roughly 20% of its total workforce. That figure could grow in the coming weeks, as nearly 90% of the agency remains furloughed.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon, who has repeatedly emphasized her commitment to supporting students with disabilities, has yet to comment on the union’s claims. “Safeguarding students with disabilities and ensuring they have access to the educational resources they’re legally entitled to is a top priority,” McMahon previously said in March, noting her desire to see more funding go to states for special education services.
However, insiders suggest that the department’s capacity to oversee and distribute federal special education funds may now be severely compromised. A staff member told USA TODAY that nearly every employee responsible for administering funds under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) – the cornerstone federal law for special education – was laid off. “The system is designed with multiple levels of oversight – from school to district, state, and then federal,” said Glenna Wright-Gallo, former assistant secretary for OSERS from 2023 to 2025. “Now we’re losing that checks and balances system.”
Wright-Gallo warned that the dismantling of the federal special education office could leave millions of students without proper oversight or enforcement of their educational rights. She urged parents and advocacy groups to increase scrutiny and engagement at local and state levels, where support structures may now have to fill the void left by federal staff cuts.
Secretary McMahon has reportedly floated the idea of transferring oversight of IDEA programs to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). However, such a shift would require congressional approval – a complex and time-consuming process that offers little immediate relief to affected schools and families.
The Education Department’s sweeping layoffs are part of a larger wave of terminations across several federal agencies, as the administration attempts to tighten fiscal pressure on lawmakers. With over half of the department’s employees either furloughed or laid off, the future of critical programs supporting America’s most vulnerable students remains uncertain.
As the shutdown drags on and the political standoff deepens, educators, parents, and disability advocates fear that the fallout from these cuts could erode decades of progress in inclusive education.
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