There's more fallout from federal
cuts and layoffs for Wisconsin,
this time with cuts to the U.S.
Department of Education.
In the midst of the government
shutdown, the Trump administration
laid off more than 450 employees
in the department, nearly all of
them in the office that oversees
special education requirements for
states. While a federal judge
temporarily paused the mass
layoffs, deep concerns remain.
Including for Beth Swedeen,
Executive Director of the Wisconsin
Board for People with Developmental
Disabilities.
And thanks a lot for being here.
Thank you.
So a federal judge midweek, as
we just said, temporarily halted
mass layoffs in federal agencies.
Does that offer some relief to the
consequence relating to special
education in Wisconsin?
We're still concerned because as
you know everybody is off anyway
with the government being shut
down and we just
don't know what assurances there are
that those people will come back in
a timely way and then of course when
you don't if your job is secure
we are assuming a lot of those
people might be going elsewhere
anyway so there's always
a concern when there's this kind
of threat that you
don't bounce back from it very
quickly.
Should the law stop?
Of those employees
stand, what would the
staff cuts in the Office of Special
Education and Rehabilitative
Services mean for children
here in the class?
We think that
almost all of the positions were
cut with the exception of a handful.
So from several hundred down
to under ten.
So those are the folks who
when a family can't
get redressed in the state or
if a school district has a question
about interpretation of the law,
that's where they went.
And so that means that even though
we have this federal statute
in place, this federal law that's 50
years old this year.
There's nothing to enforce it if
those cuts go through.
This law, the Disabilities Education
Act, or IDEA,
guarantees public special education
services to nearly 130,000
students in Wisconsin.
What was it like for students
with disabilities before the
federal law was passed in 1975?
Those students weren't students.
So before 1975, if
you had a significant disability, or
even if you had no
developmental disability, but like
a physical disability, a school
district did not have to serve you.
So we know almost all
students were either at home with
their families, or
unfortunately in institutions,
because medical doctors were saying,
there's really nothing, no future
for your child, why don't you just
go to a state institution?
Or they...
Around 50, 60 years ago, some
families with a little more vision
and kind of a can-do attitude did
start their own schools, often in
church basements. But there were no
protections in place and students
who really had so much potential
never saw that because they couldn't
even enter the door of a school.
Students with special needs
can learn and can be educated
and can succeed.
And as a disability
community, we have seen that happen.
We have seen even students with the
most significant disabilities with
the right supports, with the
services, and now with oftentimes
the right technology,
they can be successful.
They can work in the community,
they can live either
semi-independently or with some
support living out in the community,
and they can have very fulfilling
lives.
So if the U.S.
Department of Education more
generally wants states to
take over these and other services,
what's on the horizon for special
education?
The dismantling came first and
the idea of sending those
dollars and the responsibility
to the states has yet to materialize
so we don't really know what
the future is.
Usually when you want to reform
something you look at it carefully
to see where the flaws are and then
you develop a plan and supports
for implementing the changes.
That has not happened in this
situation. The cuts have come first,
and then...
Some lip service toward maybe states
can take over, but we really don't
know what that looks like.
And as you probably know, that could
take years to sort of switch
that over.
And I think what's important with
IDEA with this federal law is
it's a federal law.
So the feds are the ones who
need to enforce the law.
States oftentimes have had
issues where they have not enforced
the law, and that's when the fed's
have come in and said, no,
state, you're not doing it
correctly. We're gonna give you
guidance on how you need to change.
So meanwhile, another U.S.
Department of Education cut would
eliminate about $8 million of
a grant to Wisconsin to attract
and retain special education
teachers.
Well, we've seen several
different cuts.
That's one that you're referring to,
something that really prepares
special education teachers and
encourages them to go into the
field and stay in the field.
There was also a program for
deafblind students that was cut.
So we see this as, you know,
continuous attacks on students with
disabilities and the
supports and services they need to
be successful.
And so where does this leave
students and families?
Well, I was not the first one
to hear about this.
There was a ripple across the state
over the weekend on social media
and elsewhere from families.
Families were the ones who heard the
news first.
And they're really concerned.
I mean, as you mentioned, we already
have significant
problems with getting enough
special education teachers.
There's a lot of teachers on
emergency licenses right now.
And school districts are having a
hard time with budgets.
Providing the full array of services
that students need
and that are in their plans.
So this is something
that we're really concerned about
moving forward, that there
will not be any enforcement and
that families and students will
suffer.
Sweetie, thanks very much.
I have to tell you that
I couldn't believe it like my social
media just blew up this weekend.
Families really are paying attention
and students are too.
Well, as though
it's not difficult enough to
navigate any of it,
yeah, it's just another
blow.
Yeah, yeah.
So, really appreciate your interest
in the issue. Thank you so much.