Stop the Attacks on Students with Disabilities Toolkit

Action Toolkit

Stop the Attacks on Students with Disabilities

Thank you for taking action to protect students with disabilities!  

The federal government has  wiped out the office in charge of special education and is preparing to move special education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  These mass layoffs remove the staff who make sure the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is followed, risk massive disruption to delivery of funds and services, and mean that the rights of children with disabilities are in serious jeopardy.  

This is a test. The administration is testing public resistance to the gutting of federal protections for students with disabilities. If the public response is mild, the next step will most likely be turning $15 billion in IDEA funds into block grants to states, removing federal oversight, weakening protections, and paving the way for privatization (These are all listed in Project 2025.). Block grants have historically led to funding cuts, fraud and profiteering as states contract with private companies with glossy promotions that make big promises with little experience or track record. Special education is already massively underfunded and our schools don’t have what they need to meet children’s needs; eliminating the guardrails on these precious funds will make the situation worse. 

These layoffs and the looming transfer to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) will mean cuts to teacher training, school grants and legal protections, and disruption to therapies, reimbursements, and IEP and 504 enforcement. When funding for students with disabilities disappears, schools are forced to cut in other areas, causing larger class sizes, fewer elective classes, and scarce programs and materials for all students. 

Parents and caregivers will not allow political games with the most vulnerable students. Here are three key things you can to do pressure members of Congress to restore the special education offices and demand full funding for IDEA: 

1. Contact members of Congress and demand that they restore the Office of Special Education and maintain civil rights protections for students. Then send the link to 3 friends and ask them to do the same. 

2. Schedule a meeting with your Congressmember or their legislative director in the next two weeks. Use the Advocacy Visit Guide and the Talking Points below to assist you.

3. Contact your superintendent or school board members and ask them what IDEA funding is used for in your district. Ask them to release a statement about the critical importance of the stability of IDEA funds and services. You can use the sample superintendent/school board member below as a starting point.

Please reach out to [email protected] or [email protected] with any questions or resources to add to this toolkit. 

A Step-by-Step Advocacy Visit Guide

• Who are you meeting with and what do they care about? 

1. 1. What is their current position?
      • Member of Congress (MOC)
        1. Senator 
        2. House Representatives
      • What committees do they sit on?
   2. Have they been supportive of students with disabilities in the past? 
      • Have they supported local programs or events for students with disabilities?
      • Do they have any personal connection to children or family members with disabilities? 

• Make the appointment

1. 1. Start scheduling your visit immediately. It may take a while. 
   2. When calling the local office, ask to speak with the scheduler
   3. Make it clear that the group will be constituents and you want to meet with the MOC. If the MOC isn’t available, ask to speak to the education staff or legislative director, not interns. 
   4. Decide if you want the meeting to be in person or virtual. 
   5. Oftentimes scheduling a visit is hard. Offices can be unresponsive. Continue to call, email and in some cases, go to their office and schedule an appointment in person! Be persistent
   6. Call and confirm the appointment a few days before the meeting. 

• Recruit constituents for the meeting

1. 1. Recruit constituents to go to the visit from your contacts in the community.  Call through petitions, sign up sheets from meetings, ally organizations, etc.
   2. Before making calls, be prepared with talking points and/or a phone script with all the details. 
      • Who are you meeting with? Why is it important?  
      • Attendees to the advocacy visit must be available to come to both the actual advocacy visit and a planning meeting beforehand so that everyone is up to date on the issue, our request, and their role.

• Hold a planning meeting 

1. 1. Schedule a convenient time and place for the planning meeting.
   2. Have everyone introduce themselves.
   3. Discuss the issue at hand and your goals for the visit.
   4. Review who the member of Congress is, and any meaningful history.
   5. Review or create the agenda for the advocacy visit.
   6. Include demands: publicly oppose the dismantling of protections for students with disabilities through layoffs and transfer of IDEA to the Department of Health and Human Services 
      • Refused to vote on any budget or continuing resolution for the FY26 budget until these offices and funds are restored
   7. Review techniques elected officials use to derail a meeting and create a plan with the facilitator to address them if they are used.
      • Red Herring— Brings up issues to sidetrack you
      • Passing the buck—To another level of government
      • The Chatterbox—Doesn’t allow you to get in a word
      • The White Rabbit— “I’m running late…”
      • The Friendly Put-Off— Don’t get fooled by the friendly tone
      • Trust Me — Never “trust me.” Get specific commitments, not assurances of friendship.
   8. Decide who will take what part on the agenda
   9. Plan meeting logistics 

• During the Visit

1. 1. 1. Follow the agenda
      2. Remember to be aware of techniques that the legislator may use to avoid demands 
      3. Make sure the facilitators keep control of the meeting 
         • Ensure everyone has time to speak, but doesn’t go over 
         • Make sure you’ve made your ask
         • Make sure the member of Congress or staffer doesn’t derail the meeting
      4. Make your asks and record responses
      5. Have a member of the group take notes of the entire meeting, putting special emphasis on any follow up needed.

•  Follow Up 

1. 1. 1. Discuss the visit with the team; did you all hear the same thing?
         • What did the member of Congress or staffer commit to? 
         • Was the tone supportive (is this a champion) or someone we’ll have to sway? 
         • Are there any pending commitments or actions we need to take action on? 
      2. Divide follow up tasks among willing participants
         • Who will make sure a Thank You letter is sent that reminds them about what he/she committed to and what we ask of them?
         • Was there any information the member/staffer requested that should be sent? 
         • Will the notetaker type up notes and share with your base? 
         • Includes turning what you learned into a strategy
      3. What’s the next pressure point on the MOC so you can continue to advocate for your schools?

• Tell us about it! Email us at [email protected]  and share how it went. 

Talking Points

• Loss of Essential Support for Students with Disabilities: Every student deserves a quality education but by firing the staff at the Office for Special Education our kids’ rights and future are threatened. Critical services like IEPs, 504 plans, speech therapy, and behavioral support could be less available, leaving vulnerable students without the resources they need to succeed.

• Widening Inequality and State-by-State Disparities: Without national standards, support for children’s special education would be left to the discretion of individual states and local districts. Wealthier areas might maintain their services, while underfunded regions could experience significant cuts, leading to drastic disparities in educational opportunities for children across the country.

• Increased Financial and Emotional Strain on Families: Removing federal oversight of special education shifts financial burden to families, who may need to pay for expensive therapy and specialized education out-of-pocket. This would prevent low-income children from receiving adequate education and putting additional stress on families and their communities.

Sample Social Media Posts

Sample Superintendent Letter

Dear Superintendent and/or School Board Members,   

As a [parent/student/graduate/teacher etc] in your district, I’m upset that the federal government has  wiped out the office in charge of special education and is preparing to move special education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).  These mass layoffs remove the staff who make sure the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is followed, risk massive disruption to delivery of funds and services, and mean that the rights of children with disabilities are in serious jeopardy. For example, moving IDEA to HHS requires entirely new computer systems for billing and reimbursement and administration by a reduced staff that have no experience with special education.  

As a parent in your district, I would like to know how the district will be impacted if IDEA funds and rights are delayed or endangered. We would like to share this information with our school community, so that they can understand what’s at stake and oppose these dangerous policies.

You know better than anyone that our schools need more resources and support for students with disabilities, not less. Our schools already have to make miracles happen without sufficient resources, and they don’t need more uncertainty and chaos.

[SHARE YOUR “WHY”. For example, a child with disabilities in your life, your own experience in public schools, etc.]

I urge you to protect our families, communities, and public schools by sharing how IDEA funds sustain our schools, and what would be lost if they are disrupted. You can share this information through social media, a press release, or simply by emailing me (email address) so I can share that information with parents in our district.  

Sincerely,