Special Education Update: What Parents Need to Know

July SSLT Newsletter 2026

Special education continues to evolve as federal and state agencies update guidance, funding priorities, and educational policies. While the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) remains the law that protects students with disabilities, proposed changes to funding, staffing, and service delivery may impact how schools provide special education services.

As a parent, it is important to:

• Know your child’s rights under IDEA.
• Review your child’s IEP regularly and ask questions if changes are proposed.
• Review your child’s services and ensure they are being served regularly.
• Maintain copies of evaluations, progress reports, and IEP documents.
• Stay informed about updates from your local school district and state Department of Education.
• Continue to advocate for services that are based on your child’s individual needs—not available resources.

Remember, your participation as an IEP team member is one of the most important factors in your child’s educational success.

As of June 2026, the federal government has announced that the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services(OSERS), which oversees implementation of IDEA, will be transferred from the U.S. Department of Education to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Much of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will move to the U.S. Department of Justice. These changes are part of the administration’s broader effort to reorganize the Department of Education.

For parents, it’s important to distinguish what has changed from what has not.

What has NOT changed

• Your child’s rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) remain in effect.
• Schools are still legally required to provide:
  • A Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)
  • Individualized Education Programs (IEPs)
  • Evaluations
  • Related services (speech-language therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, etc.)
  • Education in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
• Section 504 protections also remain federal law.

What could change

Because oversight is moving to different agencies, parents may notice:

• Different federal contacts for questions or complaints.
• Changes in how federal guidance is issued to states and school districts.
• Possible delays while responsibilities transition between agencies.
• Different approaches to monitoring school compliance.
• Potential changes to funding priorities or administrative procedures over time, depending on future federal policy decisions.

Many disability advocacy organizations have expressed concern that placing special education under HHS could shift the focus toward a medical model of disability rather than an educational model, while the administration says the change is intended to streamline government functions without reducing students’ legal rights.

What parents should do now

Parents do not need to panic, but they should:

• Continue attending every IEP meeting.
• Keep copies of all evaluations, IEPs, progress reports, and communication.
• Ask questions if services are reduced or changed.
• Stay informed through reliable sources rather than social media rumors.
• Remember that schools must still follow IDEA unless Congress changes the law.

If you want to learn more about IEPs, the process and your rights schedule a call IEP Coaching

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