Earlier this fall, the USDOE rescinded scores of policy documents that outline the rights of students with disabilities as part of the Trump administration’s effort to eliminate regulations it deems superfluous. A total of 72 documents — 63 from the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and 9 from the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) – were rescinded because they were “outdated, unnecessary, or ineffective”, according to the USDOE. The guidance documents cut spanned across seven Presidential administrations, Democrat and Republication; some had been on the books since 1980s.
The documents fleshed out and clarified students’ rights under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act, addressing a wide range of issues, including how schools could spend federal money set aside for special education. Some, such as one titled “Questions and Answers on Serving Children with Disabilities Placed by Their Parents at Private Schools,” translated the legal jargon into plain English for parents advocating for their children.
The Education Department assured advocates that the rollback would not affect what services special education students will receive.
For a complete list of the rescinded guidance documents, click here:
