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By Jordan Lindsey, Executive Director, The Arc of California
I want to bring your attention to an important call to action to Defend the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (Or IDEA) and Keep Special Education Where It Belongs!
Students with disabilities could soon face more delays and confusion when they need help at school. The U.S. Department of Education plans to move the offices that oversee special education, vocational rehabilitation, and students’ civil rights out of the Department of Education and into other government agencies.
Families already spend months, sometimes years, trying to get schools to follow the law. Moving these offices could make things even more confusing and slow down help that students with disabilities urgently need.
Here’s what this change could mean for students:
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- More confusion about who to contact when a student is denied services or accommodations.
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- Longer delays in getting supports to find and maintain a job.
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- Less coordination between special education and civil rights protections.
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- More barriers when a student faces bullying, exclusion, restraint, seclusion, or unfair discipline.
Imagine this:
If a child is denied speech therapy today, families know to call the Department of Education. Under the new plan, they may have to call two or three different agencies while their child falls further behind.
Students with disabilities are public education students first. The vast majority of students with disabilities are in their neighborhood school where they receive specialized services in the regular classroom alongside their non-disabled peers. Their education, rights, and futures belong in the Department of Education, not treated as patients or cases to be managed elsewhere.
TAKE ACTION NOW!
On Thursday, June 25, 2026, hundreds of disability rights organizations across the country and disability advocates are joining forces to take part in a National Call-In Day to make sure Members of the United State Congress hear our opposition to moving the special education to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office for Civil Rights to the Department of Justice.
Here is how you can participate:
First, plan on calling your U.S. House Representative and two U.S. Senators that represent you on June 25th, 2026, anytime between 6:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. (pacific time) – or — 9 am and 5 pm (eastern time)
When you call, please urge them to tell the U.S. Department of Education not to move special education programs such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) out of the Education Department.
To find your representatives you can do one of two things:
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- You can reach any office though the main switchboard for the U.S. Capitol at 202-224-3121. If calling through the switchboard, when you are connected to an operator, ask to be connected to the office of your Senator or Representative.
- You can go to the Congress website and input your address at congress.gov/members/find-your-member
Once connected, you can share your concerns with the person who answered, and ask them to pass that information onto the Education Legislative Aid and the Congregational Member.
CLICK HERE FOR A SAMPLE CALL SCRIPT.
Remember, you do not have to be an expert. Congressional offices want to hear directly from constituents. A simple one- to two-minute call can make a difference.
In solidarity!
