Trump's Proposed Budget Sparks Concerns Over Special Education Funding and Oversight

Last week, President Trump unveiled the Special Education Simplified Funding Program within his 2026 budget proposal. Although this budget is not final, the administration’s plan to distribute funds to states could significantly affect the education of students with disabilities, influencing both classroom practices and the enforcement of essential standards.

For nearly five decades, federal oversight has been a critical safeguard ensuring that students with disabilities receive equitable education. However, the current budget proposal aims to limit the federal government’s involvement and increase state autonomy in managing Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) funds. This shift risks substantially weakening the monitoring of how states utilize these resources.

Many parents of the 7.5 million public school children served under IDEA view this potential redirection of authority with deep concern. The prospect of eliminating the Department of Education’s role and allocating IDEA funding directly to states threatens to undermine protections that families have long depended upon.

In a recent case from Oklahoma, parents filed a formal complaint against the Bixby School District, alleging that their children were placed in segregated classrooms without attempts to provide supplementary aids or services, violating IDEA regulations. Educating students with disabilities primarily in segregated settings often limits their academic opportunities and social interactions, reinforcing feelings of exclusion from their peers.

Nick and Kristen Whitmer moved to Bixby, a Tulsa suburb, drawn by the district’s reputation for inclusive special education. Their daughter Adaline, who is eight years old and has Down syndrome, experienced a different reality last fall. Although she began her day in a general education classroom with a morning meeting, she was promptly led to a special education room after ten minutes. While she joined other first graders for recess and lunch, Adaline spent the majority of her academic time separated from nondisabled classmates, making it difficult for her to form friendships. Ms. Whitmer described her daughter’s experience as being viewed not as a community member, but as a visitor.

Previously in preschool, Adaline was placed in the Oklahoma Alternative Assessment Program, designed for students with the most significant cognitive disabilities. This classification effectively meant that district officials decided she would not have the opportunity to pursue a high school diploma. Despite Ms. Whitmer’s requests to have her daughter placed on a diploma track, the district initially resisted and involved legal counsel in subsequent meetings.