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Protecting special education in WA amid staffing cuts
The U.S. Department of Education recently made staffing cuts, and the reduction is raising questions about possible impacts for Washington families.
OLYMPIA, Wash. - A federal judge temporarily blocked the Trump Administration’s plan of mass layoffs during the federal government shutdown. The court agreed with government employees and unions who argued that the layoffs were illegal.
The backstory:
Prior to the court ruling, the White House announced the firing of more than 4,000 government workers as part of the administration’s reduction-in-force (RIF).
The layoffs included 466 workers at the U.S. Department of Education. The agency already took a big hit in March 2025 when the Trump Administration reduced nearly half of its workforce.
Except for a few executives, the remaining staff in the department’s Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) were part of the layoffs, according to the union president that represents many Education Department (ED) employees.
"I worry that students with disabilities won’t get the legal protections and the investigative authority of the federal government to back them up," said Chris Reykdal, Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction. "Right now, your state is the one that’s going to protect those civil rights because it looks like the federal administration is trying to back away from that."
OSERS is responsible for enforcing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Staff members help safeguard the civil rights of students with disabilities. Now that the employees could lose their jobs in the RIF, Reykdal said he fears for the students’ legal protection.
"The downside is that if there’s a really significant case that should involve the federal government coming in to try to do corrective action on a school district, or a non-profit provider, that doesn’t look like that’s going to be there. So now, you’re relying on each state, and then you get inconsistency. So, Washington might be leaning in, but will another state take it as seriously without the federal government there as a backstop?" Reykdal said.
December 9 is reportedly the last day for ED employees who received a RIF notice.
Local perspective:
The staff cuts also raised questions among Washington families about the special education services their child receives. Reykdal said the state has the funding and resources needed to provide programs without disruptions.
"There’s a lot of anxiety out there and I just want families to know that right now the money is flowing. In my office, we are fully committed to the work of civil rights, especially for students with disabilities, and right now we have the resources to do that," said Reykdal.
In a post to X, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon blamed Democrats for the government shutdown, stating it has "forced" agencies to evaluate federal responsibilities. Despite it being the 15th day of the shutdown, McMahon wrote, "millions of American students are still going to school, teachers are getting paid, and schools are operating as normal. It confirms what the President has said: the federal Department of Education is unnecessary, and we should return education to the states."
McMahon said the department is taking steps to "root out the education bureaucracy that has burdened states and educators with unnecessary oversight." The education secretary stated no education funding is affected by the RIF, including funding for special education.
"There’s no imminent danger to the funding but keep that on the horizon. That could be a risk coming," said Reykdal. "We’re going to continue to ask our legislators don’t lose any ground on your investments in supports for students with disabilities."
Staff in the Office for Civil Rights were also laid off, though the total number is unknown. The office works to protect students with disabilities from discrimination. The divisions affected by the layoffs include Seattle, Atlanta, and the District of Columbia.
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The Source: Information in this story came from Washington State Superintendent of Public Instruction Chris Reykdal, an X post from U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon, and FOX 13 Seattle reporting.