Special Education Needs to be Protected

Private and charter schools routinely fail our students with disabilities. There is no oversight as to how they treat students with disabilities, and they are often segregated or pushed out of the schools entirely. Public schools are currently the only schools that are required to treat students with disabilities fairly, but with the Trump administration, the rights of students with disabilities are under attack. The Trump administration is defunding public schools and depopulating departments serving students with disabilities. 

History shows us why we need to protect the rights of students with disabilities. Leaving protecting students with disabilities up to the state has led to abuse in the past. We need a strong federal Department of Education and strong federal protections that are well enforced. We cannot return to the days where students with disabilities were institutionalized in dismal conditions. We need to protect special education, fund public schools and programs, and push back on the movement towards school privatization.

Network for Public Education

Remembering Why There’s a Special Education Law

By Nancy Bailey | October 19th, 2025 | Network for Public Education