Report: Trump Admin. Mulling Transfer of Special Ed from US Education Dept聽
The president has already suggested rehousing special education services under the Department of Health and Human Services.
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WASHINGTON 鈥� The U.S. Education Department is looking to move the $15 billion Individuals with Disabilities Education Act program outside of the agency, the Washington Post聽听罢耻别蝉诲补测.
In a statement to States Newsroom, department spokesperson Madi Biedermann did not explicitly confirm the report, but said the department is generally looking for ways to move its operations to other agencies. President Donald Trump has pledged to eliminate the Education Department.
The agency 鈥渋s exploring additional partnerships with federal agencies to support special education programs without any interruption or impact on students with disabilities, but no agreement has been signed,鈥� Biedermann wrote.
Biedermann said Education Secretary Linda McMahon 鈥渉as been very clear that her goal is to put herself out of a job by shutting down the Department of Education and returning education to the states鈥� and that McMahon is 鈥渇ully committed to protecting the federal funding streams that support our nation鈥檚 students with disabilities.鈥�
Trump鈥檚 administration moved to lay off 465 department employees, including 121 at the聽, earlier this month amid the ongoing government shutdown.
A federal judge has聽聽from carrying out the layoffs, but the ruling provides only short-term relief as legal proceedings unfold.
The department鈥檚 many responsibilities include guaranteeing a free public education for students with disabilities through IDEA.
Trump has already suggested rehousing special education services under the Department of Health and Human Services.
HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.聽聽in March that the agency is 鈥渇ully prepared鈥� to take on that responsibility.
Fully transferring responsibility for IDEA would require an act of Congress 鈥� a significant undertaking given that at least 60 votes are needed to break a Senate filibuster and Republicans hold just 53 seats.
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