Episode #130: Special Ed Under Siege? Navigating the Latest US Dept. of Ed Updates
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Show Notes:
Don’t miss this crucial special education news alert! Discover the latest on IDEA enforcement, staff cuts, and a landmark restraint lawsuit settlement.
In this vital solo episode of the Water Prairie Chronicles, podcast host and IEP Coach, Tonya Wollum, brings you an urgent special education news update about the ongoing changes in the US Department of Education. With significant shifts in policy and enforcement underway, it’s more critical than ever for parents of children with disabilities to stay informed.
Discover the latest on:
- The delayed Department of Education Status Report and its implications for IDEA oversight.
- The new pilot program shifting IDEA enforcement to the Justice Department in Texas, Florida, and Ohio, and what early feedback suggests for your child’s rights.
- The impact of staff cuts at the Department of Education, leading to longer waits for IEP support.
- Positive progress in the April restraint lawsuit settlement talks, which could bring new protections for kids with disabilities this fall.
This episode provides a clear breakdown of these complex federal changes, explains key terms like IDEA, IEP, and 504 plans, and equips you with actionable advice to connect with your local school and advocate for your child’s educational needs. Your advocacy makes a huge difference – let’s navigate these changes together to ensure our kids with disabilities continue thriving.
Call to Action: Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Tune in now to understand how these updates could affect your child’s special education journey.
Key Takeaways (from the episode):
- The Department of Education’s Status Report is significantly delayed, leaving IDEA oversight in limbo.
- A pilot program is shifting IDEA enforcement to the Justice Department in TX, FL, and OH, with mixed early feedback.
- Staff cuts at the DOE are slowing support, making local advocacy crucial.
- Progress is being made in settlement talks for a significant restraint lawsuit, aiming to limit restraint use and boost training.
- Parents must stay connected with local schools, ensure IEP/504 plans are robust, and continue monitoring these federal shifts.
If you’d like to talk over your concerns about your child’s IEP, set up a FREE 15-minute consultation call with Tonya. It’s a no-pressure chat to see if IEP coaching is the right support for you. To get started, send an email to iepcoach@waterprairie.com.
Resources Mentioned:
- Watch the May 12 Special Education Update about the Restraint Lawsuit mentioned in this episode: https://youtu.be/MuRNRG9Pxek
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Music Used:
“LazyDay” by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Artist: http://audionautix.com/
Tonya Wollum is an IEP Coach, podcast host, and disability advocate. She works one-on-one with parents to guide them to a peaceful partnership with their child’s IEP team, and she provides virtual mentors for special needs parents through the interviews she presents as the host of the Water Prairie Chronicles podcast. Tonya knows firsthand how difficult it is to know how to support your special needs child, and she seeks to provide knowledge to parents and caregivers as well as to those who support a family living life with a disability. She’s doing her part to help create a more inclusive world where we can celebrate what makes each person unique!
Episode #130: Special Ed Under Siege? Navigating the Latest US Dept. of Ed Updates
Don’t miss this crucial special education news alert! Discover the latest on IDEA enforcement, staff cuts, and a landmark restraint lawsuit settlement.
(Recorded July 21, 2025)
Full Transcript of Episode 130:
Hi everyone. Welcome to Water Prairie. It’s been two months since the last time that I brought you a special education news update, and I wanted to do this combined with the podcast today because I feel like it’s really important that we start sharing the special education news changes with my podcast audience.
So starting today, I’m going to be periodically adding some segments in that are like this one that are just special education news updates. If you haven’t listened to one of these before, I’m focusing on how the changes in the Department of Education and in our special education system in the US affect our kids that are on IEPs and 504 plans.
If you’re not familiar with some of the terms used in special education,
IDEA is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It’s a federal law that makes sure public schools provide a “free appropriate public education” to children with disabilities.
IEP is an individualized education program for students who qualify for special education under IDEA, and 504 stands for Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. It’s a plan that provides accommodations for students with disabilities who need support to learn in a general education classroom.
Okay, so let’s jump in and see what’s happened since my last special education use update at the end of May.
First, the Department of Education Status Report, which was due May 25th after the judge halted its closure, is now over seven weeks late with no weekly updates rolling in.
This delay leaves IDEA’s $15 billion oversight in limbo and affects how your child’s IEP is managed.
On July 10th, Secretary McMahon shared public updates on a pilot program shifting IDEA enforcement to the Justice Department. The pilot program began on July 1st in Texas, Florida, and Ohio.
Early feedback shows some schools are seeing better compliance checks, but others seem to be facing delays in disability cases. We’ll have to keep an eye on how this might impact your child’s rights. I’ll keep you posted as I hear more.
The Department of Education’s staff has shrunk to 600 from the original 1600 that it had, with parents on X, formerly Twitter, reporting up to three-month waits for IEP help.
These cuts are slowing support and making local action more critical than ever.
Here’s some good news on safety. The April restraint lawsuit is in settlement talks with a proposal to limit restraint use and boosting training. If approved, this could protect kids with disabilities starting this fall.
I’ll let you know as I hear more, and if you’re not familiar with this case, I reported on it earlier this year, and I’ll put the link here and in the show notes so that you can read more about it.
So what’s our key takeaway from today’s update? The delay, pilot shifts, staff cuts, and lawsuit progress signal what might be a challenging time for special education.
I am not sure yet if these changes are going to turn out positive or negative, so I’m still waiting and watching to see what happens as they play out. For now, I encourage you to connect regularly with your local school.
Make sure that your child’s IEP or 504 plans are in place, that you have the supports that your child needs, and let’s keep monitoring these shifts together.
For some of you, this type of update might feel heavy, but your advocacy can make a huge difference both for your child and for your school district.
Let’s work together to keep our kids with disabilities thriving.
Here’s your question of the day. What’s one challenge you faced with your child’s IEP this summer? Leave your answer in the comments below and leave an encouraging comment for another person’s response.
As an IEP coach, I’m here to support parents needing extra help. If you’d like to chat about your concerns for your child’s IEP, check the show notes for my contact information. I’d love to see if I can assist you.
Please like, subscribe, and share this with another parent who’d benefit.
Thanks for watching, and I’ll see you next time.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Q1: What is the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)?
A1: IDEA is a federal law that ensures public schools provide a “free appropriate public education” (FAPE) to children with disabilities.
Q2: What’s the difference between an IEP and a 504 plan?
A2: An IEP (Individualized Education Program) is for students who qualify for special education under IDEA, providing specialized instruction and services. A 504 plan, under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, provides accommodations for students with disabilities to learn in a general education classroom.
Q3: How might the Department of Education staff cuts affect my child’s IEP?
A3: Staff cuts at the Department of Education can slow down federal support and oversight, potentially leading to delays in assistance for IEP-related issues. This makes strong local advocacy and communication with your school district even more critical.
Q4: What is the “pilot program shifting IDEA enforcement to the Justice Department” and where is it happening?
A4: This is a new initiative where enforcement of IDEA compliance is being piloted by the Justice Department rather than solely the Department of Education. It began on July 1st in Texas, Florida, and Ohio. Early feedback is mixed, with some schools seeing better compliance checks, while others face delays.
Q5: What should I do if I’m concerned about these federal changes impacting my child’s special education?
A5: It’s encouraged to connect regularly with your local school, ensure your child’s IEP or 504 plan is fully implemented with all necessary supports, and actively monitor these federal shifts. Advocating at the local level is more important than ever.
