Another reduction in force at the Department of Education: What it means for OTPs
We will continue to provide updates to this article as they become available.
Update: October 27
The Latest
On October 21, AOTA staff first learned of a potential plan for the Department of Education (ED) to move administration of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) out of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and into the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). While several media outlets have since reported on this rumor, no official confirmation has been made.
Such a move would be in line with an executive order signed by the President in March, to close the Department of Education to the extent allowed by law. Given that moving IDEA to HHS aligns with the public priorities of the administration, AOTA must take this rumor seriously.
It is important to note that moving the function of ED to HHS, or closing it down entirely, requires an act of Congress. However, ED recently moved some grant programs to the Department of Labor through a signed agreement that kept high level oversight and leadership at ED. The rumored move to HHS would follow a similar blueprint.
Why this Matters
AOTA strongly believes IDEA must remain within ED. IDEA is an education law, not a health program. Its purpose is to ensure students with disabilities receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE), not medical treatment. AOTA has created a shareable resource (Eight Reasons the IDEA Should Remain at the Department of Education) that details why we believe IDEA belongs at ED.
In a letter responding to March executive order from AOTA CEO Katie Jordan to House and Senate leadership, she expressed the Association’s “strong support for the Department of Education’s (ED) mission.”
What AOTA is Doing
Moments like this highlight the value of AOTA’s long-standing relationships across the education and disability policy community. Our Policy team is working closely with coalition partners to confirm any potential actions, while coordinating efforts to amplify our voice. In the week after the second reduction in force at ED, AOTA joined over 800 national and state organizations condemning the layoffs.
We are also engaging with our Congressional champions on both sides of the aisle, to express our serious concerns and to urge them to take all possible steps to prevent any transfer of IDEA to HHS. The most effective strategy is to demonstrate strong, non-partisan opposition before such a proposal is carried out.
We Need Your Help
The most powerful influence in shaping policy has always been the collective voice of constituents. This is why we continue to call on OTs, OTAs, and students of occupational therapy to make their voice heard.
- Contact your Members of Congress. Urge them to do everything in their power to protect the Department of Education and IDEA.
- Share this with your family & friends. Every voice added to the chorus of advocacy sends a stronger and clearer message, so this action is tailored just for the non-OT practitioners in your life.
As of October 16
A federal judge in California has temporarily stopped the administration from going forward with the recent layoffs while the court reviews whether the layoffs were legal. While there is no indication when Congress will reopen the federal government, all of the staff who were included in the reduction in force (RIF) were already furloughed until the end of the shutdown.
As of October 15
On October 10th, the Department of Education (ED) carried out a sweeping RIF, eliminating hundreds of positions across key offices responsible for administering early intervention and K–12 general and special education programs. According to multiple sources, this RIF, which was the second of the year, resulted in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services (OSERS) and the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE) with only a few employees in each office.
All staff who were laid off had been furloughed due to the government shutdown, which began on October 1st. Combined, these two offices oversee almost $44 billion in education funding, including $19.1 billion for Title I (support for low-income students) and $15.5 billion for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Short-Term Implications for OT Practitioners
In the immediate term, OT practitioners in schools and early intervention shouldn’t experience any changes to their day-to-day work. Congress “forward funds” education programs to help districts with their budgets. All of the federal education funding for this fiscal year was approved by Congress for the last fiscal year. The RIF is extremely concerning, and its implications will continue to unfold as the shutdown continues.
While concerns over the lack of oversight of federal education programs, such as IDEA or the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), are understandable, we do not expect to see any major changes at this time. State and local education agencies are aware that violations of these laws, could result in punitive action the same as if they occurred when the government was not shut down, or if these positions were filled.
Long-Term Implications and Concerns
However, the RIF of most of the ED staff who administer K-12 education and early intervention programs is deeply concerning. Once the shutdown ends, the absence of experienced personnel could lead to major disruptions to how federal education funding is distributed to state and local communities. In the longer-term we are concerned about how these programs will remain effective in the future, if staffing is not returned to pre-shutdown levels.
AOTA is working with our partners in the education advocacy community, as well as Congressional champions, to identify what options exist to address these changes at ED. IDEA is celebrating its 50th anniversary and Congressional support for IDEA and for ESSA remains both strong and bi-partisan. Both the House and Senate have shown Congressional support for IDEA and Title I by passing FY26 funding bills that increased funding to Department of Education programs—even over the objection of the President. In addition to these efforts, there are lawsuits challenging the legality of this action.
Call to Action
To protect these programs in the future, we encourage you to write to your Members of Congress. Ask them to do all in their power to ensure that early intervention and K-12 programs at ED remain fully functional. The federal government must keep its promise to support student success now and into the future.
We will continue to provide updates to this article as they become available.