There is 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 Swideen, 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? I think 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 know 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 loss of those employees stand? What would the staff cuts in the office of special education and rehabilitative services mean for children here in the classroom? 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. So this law, the Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, guarantees public special education, and that's where we're going to be able to be able to be able to be able to be able to be able to be able to be able
to be able to be able to be able to be able to understand the importance of that different
education, even though those people are ===
Well, before 1975, if you had a significant disability, or even if you had no developmental
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 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.
Because students with special needs can learn and can be educated and can succeed.
That's correct.
And as a disability community, we have seen that happen.
We have seen even students with the most significant disabilities, with the right support, with
the right 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?
Well, 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.
Certainly 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 feds have come in and said no, state you're not doing it correctly,
we're going to give you guidance on how you need to change things.
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.
What's your reaction to that?
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 deaf blind 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.
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.
That's sweetie and thanks very much.
Thank you.
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.
So yeah, well, as though it's not difficult enough to navigate any of it, yeah, it's just
another blow.
Yeah.
So really appreciate your interest in the issue.
Thank you so much.