President Donald Trump’s effort to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education is sending shockwaves across the country, particularly among families and students who rely on federal support for special education services. Nowhere is this impact more deeply felt than in communities like those in New Jersey, where thousands of children depend on federally mandated resources to access a quality education.
While the federal government’s role in general education is somewhat limited, its involvement in special education is significant. Each year, the Education Department administers approximately $15 billion to support students with disabilities, funding everything from specialized classroom instruction to essential therapies and accommodations. The agency is also the primary enforcer of critical laws that protect students’ rights, ensuring they receive an education tailored to their unique needs.
Trump’s administration has pledged that these functions will continue under other parts of the government. However, advocates in New Jersey fear that dissolving the department could lead to a return to an era when state and local governments frequently failed to provide adequate educational opportunities for the most vulnerable students.
Uncertainty and Anxiety in the Disability Community
“Families are terrified. Educators are worried,” said Peg Kinsell, policy director at SPAN Parent Advocacy Network in Newark, an organization that supports the disability community. “Nobody knows what’s happening next, and that’s a scary place to be.”
This fear stems from the administration’s recent moves. On Thursday, Trump signed an executive order aimed at eliminating the Department of Education, just two weeks after laying off nearly half of its workforce. This unprecedented decision is expected to spark legal battles, as critics argue that the president lacks the authority to dismantle a federal agency without congressional approval.
The Rationale Behind the Decision
Harrison Fields, White House principal deputy press secretary, defended the move in a statement to USA TODAY, stating that the order “will empower parents, states, and communities to take control and improve outcomes for all students.” Fields cited recent National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) scores, which he described as evidence of a “national crisis,” arguing that children are falling behind under the current system.
Despite the push to eliminate the department, federal funding streams tied to disability education laws—including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Title I grants for low-income schools, and federal student loans—will remain unchanged for now. Education Secretary Linda McMahon has been tasked with devising a plan to redistribute these funds more directly to states, local governments, and, according to the White House, “more importantly, students.”
A Lifeline for 7.5 Million Students
Across the country, approximately 7.5 million students depend on special education services, a number that has nearly doubled since the 1976-77 school year—the year after IDEA was passed. The landmark legislation mandates that schools provide a “fair and appropriate” education for students with disabilities, and federal oversight has played a critical role in holding states accountable.
New Jersey, in particular, has one of the nation’s largest populations of students with disabilities. According to Rutgers University’s New Jersey State Public Policy Lab, about 18% of public school students in the state—roughly 240,000 children—receive services under IDEA.
New Jersey’s proposed 2026 budget relies on $457.7 million in federal funding to sustain special education programs. These funds help pay for teachers, aides, occupational and physical therapy, and other critical services outlined in students’ Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). Without robust federal oversight, experts warn that these services could be at risk.
Who Will Enforce Civil Rights Protections?
The Education Department is also responsible for enforcing key disability rights laws, including IDEA and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. These laws prohibit discrimination based on disability in any program that receives federal funding. Schools must provide reasonable accommodations such as extra time for tests, accessible learning materials, and transportation options for students with disabilities.
Kinsell worries that shifting these responsibilities back to state governments would undo decades of progress.
“Giving it back to the states brings us down a really dark path,” she said. “Before IDEA was passed in 1975, many states simply refused to educate kids with disabilities. They segregated them, or didn’t let them attend school at all.”
Before the passage of IDEA, only one in five children with disabilities received a public education. Many were institutionalized or left without formal schooling, a reality that federal oversight helped change.
A Longtime Conservative Goal
Trump’s push to eliminate the Department of Education aligns with a longstanding conservative vision. The Heritage Foundation, a right-wing think tank in Washington, D.C., has long argued that education policy should be determined at the state and local levels, not by the federal government.
Critics of the DOE, including Heritage Foundation scholars Jonathan Butcher and Lindsey Burke, contend that the agency adds unnecessary bureaucracy and inefficiency, diverting resources away from students. They argue that local control would lead to more innovative and flexible approaches to education rather than a rigid, one-size-fits-all federal model.
What Happens Without Oversight?
However, education advocates, including the National Education Association (NEA), warn that dismantling the department could exacerbate disparities in education. States already vary widely in how they implement IDEA, and without federal enforcement, these gaps could widen, leaving students in some states with fewer protections and services.
The NEA cautions that states with tight budgets could restrict eligibility for special education services or cut funding altogether. While IDEA guarantees access to education, its enforcement depends on federal monitoring. Without that safeguard, some advocates fear that students with disabilities may lose access to the support they need to succeed.
Some conservative policymakers have proposed turning federal education funding into block grants, giving states a lump sum to allocate as they see fit. Kinsell worries that such a shift would weaken protections for students with disabilities.
“Right now, IDEA funds are designated for special education students,” she said. “If it’s block-granted, states could take that money and spend it on something else, like building a gym, instead of serving kids with disabilities.”
The Loss of Data and Research
Beyond funding and legal enforcement, the Education Department plays a crucial role in tracking data on special education. It monitors issues such as disproportionate discipline, lack of inclusion, and educational outcomes for students with disabilities. Without federal oversight, these problems could go unchecked.
Cuts to the DOE would also threaten technical assistance programs, professional development for educators, and ongoing research that helps shape evidence-based teaching strategies.
“There’s a lot of parts of the law beyond enforcement—training, curriculum development, research—that help states implement appropriate education,” Kinsell explained. “If those are gone, the whole system suffers.”
Further complicating matters are proposals to scatter existing federal programs across multiple agencies.
“They’re talking about moving the Office for Civil Rights to the Justice Department, disability programs to Health and Human Services, and vocational rehab to the Department of Labor,” Kinsell said. “That would scatter programs that need to work together.”
A Cloud of Uncertainty
While it remains unclear exactly how these changes will unfold, one thing is certain: families and educators are bracing for significant disruptions.
“The state of confusion is palpable—for advocates, for families, for educators,” Kinsell said. “It’s like watching the floor get pulled out from under everyone who relies on these supports.”
As the administration moves forward with its plans, the fate of millions of students remains uncertain. Advocates stress that maintaining federal oversight is essential to ensuring special education programs continue to serve those who need them most. Without it, they fear, the progress made over the past five decades could be undone.
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