Angela Powell had few choices left before deciding to pull her autistic son out of public school.
The Tennessee mother said her son wasn’t getting the support he was guaranteed under federal law, even in one of the state’s most affluent districts. “A lot of families can’t do what we did,” she said. “And most can’t afford private school either.”
A Law Meant to Protect, but Rarely Enforced
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA, promises students with disabilities an education in the least restrictive environment possible—often alongside peers without disabilities.
In practice, however, schools struggle with staffing shortages, funding gaps, and inconsistent enforcement. Many families rely on federal oversight to ensure their children receive the services they are entitled to.
Federal Oversight in Crisis
That oversight is now in jeopardy. Parents across the country grew alarmed after the Trump administration laid off a large portion of the Department of Education staff responsible for administering and enforcing IDEA.
A judge has temporarily paused the layoffs, but the damage may already be done. The department has offered no explanation for cutting 121 employees from the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services.
A Skeleton Crew for Millions of Students
That same office distributes funding and enforces compliance for roughly 7.5 million children with disabilities nationwide. By late 2024, the office had just 179 employees—before the layoffs even took effect.
Additional cuts hit other key divisions: 137 from civil rights enforcement, 132 from elementary and secondary education, and smaller numbers across other departments.
Official Assurances Ring Hollow
Education Secretary Linda McMahon insisted the layoffs would not affect funding or student services. “No education funding is impacted,” she said, emphasizing that states and schools would still receive the money they need.
But advocates say that’s misleading. Denise Marshall, CEO of the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, said, “There’s no way they can fulfill their obligations with such a skeleton crew.”
States Struggle to Meet Requirements
Even before the cuts, special education services were under strain. As of June, only 19 states met IDEA’s standards for serving children ages 3 to 21.
The rest—more than 30 states—have fallen short for multiple years. That means millions of children nationwide face uncertainty about whether their rights will be honored.
Tennessee’s Ongoing Shortfalls
In Tennessee, where Powell lives, the Department of Education has rated the state as “needing assistance” for two consecutive years. Parents say even the state’s best-funded district, Williamson County, fails to meet expectations.
Powell’s 13-year-old was repeatedly sent home due to behavioral challenges. Eventually, the school required him to stay home with just a few hours of instruction per week.
When “Home Instruction” Becomes a Loophole
Powell says this approach—keeping children home while still counting them as enrolled—has become a quiet workaround for schools struggling with behavioral issues. “It’s one way of taking care of the problem,” she said.
“They keep the funding but remove the child from the classroom.” For many families, this means losing critical social and academic opportunities.
Teachers and Students Stretched Thin
Other parents share similar frustrations. Jolene Sharp, also from Brentwood, said her daughter’s special education team works hard but is short-staffed. At the start of sixth grade, an unfilled position left a coordinator juggling two roles.
“We spent months in chaos,” she said. “My daughter was so overwhelmed she would run out of the building.”
Uneven Support Across the Nation
The challenges extend beyond Tennessee. Parents like Hansen have moved across states—Nebraska, Ohio, Idaho, and Colorado—in search of better support systems. Some schools segregate children with disabilities, while others lack trained staff.
“Even in a good district,” Hansen said, “I’m putting out small fires every day.” Her family’s experience reflects a national pattern of inconsistency.
A Patchwork of Protections
In Washington, D.C., the situation is especially dire. The Education Department rated the district as “needing intervention,” its lowest grade.
Investigations have found D.C. Public Schools receive more special-education-related complaints per capita than any other state or territory. For parents, navigating this system often depends on luck—and location.
Advocacy Without Oversight
Jake Fishbein, a former teacher and father of three, said the lack of federal oversight threatens to deepen educational inequality. His teenage daughter receives services in Maryland, a state meeting IDEA standards, but his younger children attend school in D.C.
“If the federal government pulls back,” he said, “a child’s rights depend entirely on where they live.”
The Emotional Cost of Constant Advocacy
For parents like Alexis Rhodes in Knoxville, Tennessee, advocacy has become a full-time job. Her third grader’s individualized education plan covers ADHD, dyslexia, and autism. Yet she says teachers sometimes ignore his accommodations.
“They expect I can sit my child down and talk the autism and ADHD out of him for a day,” she said. “That’s not how it works.”
A System at a Breaking Point
Across the country, families are exhausted—caught between laws that promise support and systems that can’t deliver. For many, homeschooling or relocation becomes the only option.
The future of special education now depends on whether leaders will restore enforcement and staffing, or leave millions of children to navigate a fractured system alone.
