• Federal disability complaint system slowed by staffing cuts • Handoff to states puts more focus on state-level complaint system • Advocates plan to revamp conversation around complaint coverage

With empty desks and a heavy caseload at the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights, advocates for families with disabilities anticipate a pivot away from the federal route for discrimination complaint resolution.

Instead, attorneys and a policy expert expect new attention to the state level complaint system and the statutory plan constructed to protect students with disabilities in the next legislative session.

“It is a very tough time to be a student with a disability in general,” Amanda Glass, education team managing attorney at Disability Rights Arizona, said. “Technicall

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