A stated goal of the Trump administration is to dismantle the federal Department of Education . During the latest government shutdown, the administration announced the firing of dozens of employees in the Office of Special Education Programs — though as of last week, a federal judge had put those firings on hold . OSEP is a key office that provides oversight to make sure school districts are meeting the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

“Tennessee’s educators working with special needs children will no longer be monitored by the federal government — monitoring that helps states comply with the special education law,” says Dr. Douglas Fuchs, professor of special education at Vanderbilt University.

That lack of oversight means parents will have

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