The uncertain future of special education in the United States | Hyperfocus

Last month, the Trump administration laid off over 460 people in the U.S. Department of Education. It included nearly everyone in the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), which enforces federal special education laws.

A federal judge has temporarily halted the layoffs, but it’s unclear what will happen next. For people who work in or rely on special education services — including 7.5 million kids — the chaos and worry have already begun.

So on this week’s Hyperfocus, we wanted to talk to smart people who could give us some perspective on what’s happening. What could it mean for families and for schools? And what does it say about how the administration views neurodivergent people in general?

Our guests are Meghan Whittaker, a former chief of staff at the U.S. Department of Education, and Julian Saavedra, an assistant principal.

For more on this topic:
What the special education layoffs mean for your child’s IEP and school services https://www.understood.org/en/article...
What happens to my child’s IEP if the U.S. Department of Education closes? https://www.understood.org/en/article...
The R-word is back: How do you get people to care? https://www.understood.org/en/podcast...
Special education: Federal law vs. state law https://www.understood.org/en/article...

Timestamps:
00:00 Intro
03:04 A breakdown of the layoffs
10:16 How worry is already hitting families and schools
18:02 What to know about school vouchers
29:50 “Find your space to serve”

For a transcript and more resources, visit Hyperfocus on Understood.org. You can also email us at [email protected].


Questions about learning and thinking differences? Get answers and expert-vetted resources by asking the AI-powered Understood Assistant:
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