What You Need to Know
The Center for Learner Equity (CLE) has been at the forefront of protecting students with disabilities, defending the Department of Education, and uplifting our vision around the future of education.
The Department oversees the distribution of critical funding to states, leads data reporting on student learning and experiences, sponsors research guiding instructional best practices for millions of educators, and most importantly – protects the rights of students in schools, especially students with disabilities.
- 8 million students with disabilities eligible for services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), including infants and toddlers receiving early intervention services, and an additional 1.5 million students eligible under Section 504.
- 26 million students from low-income backgrounds in urban, rural and suburban communities who rely on federal Title I funding to improve achievement.
- 6 states where more than 20% of the education budget comes from the federal government: Alaska, Montana, South Dakota, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Kentucky.
- 9.8 million students in rural schools who depend on federal support to bridge funding gaps in communities with more limited local tax bases.
For far too many students, especially at the intersection of race, poverty, and disability, the promise of quality education has not been realized. In defending the role of the Department, CLE does not defend maintaining the status quo for students across the nation. But gutting the federal agency tasked with protecting and advancing that promise is not the solution to the learning crisis happening for millions of children. The solution lies in a relentless commitment to quality and accountability, set by the Department in its priorities and investments, and modeled by all stakeholders in our education ecosystem.
- Students with disabilities are students first.
- Returning control to states is a fundamentally misleading notion. States already have control over their curriculum, instruction, state and local funding formulas, and many other core functions of education.
- The executive branch’s role in administering public education predates the creation of the Department of Education in the late 1970s, when the Department was carved out of a bigger agency, the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare.
In the News
"Linda McMahon says she heard parents. Parents say special education changes show she didn’t listen."
Chalkbeat, June 16, 2026
“It is accurate what they said today, that they spent six months talking to people, but we’ve been very consistent in our message that we didn’t want this to happen.”
"Trump Ramps Up Education Department’s Dismantling with Changes on Special Education and Civil Rights"
Associated Press, June 16, 2026
“The IDEA is intended to equip students as they learn alongside their peers, not cure them — the HHS is not prepared to oversee and administer the IDEA program effectively.”
"How Much Do Schools Spend On Special Education? Feds Aim To Find Out"
DisabilityScoop, June 1, 2026
“The field urgently needs the findings,” said Jennifer Coco, interim executive director of The Center for Learner Equity. “We can track the amount of public funds schools receive to educate students with disabilities, but we have no comprehensive comparison of what is actually spent on their education.”
Official Statements
Press Conferences & Briefings
Senate HELP Committee Hearing
May 20, 2026
CLE's Interim Executive Director testified at the May 20th, 2026 Senate HELP Committee Hearing on Meeting the Individual Needs of All Students: The Role of Charter Schools.
Virtual Town Hall to Protect Children with Disabilities & Protect IDEA
November 4, 2025
CLE, along with the Council for Exceptional Children (CEC), Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Inc. (COPAA), National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), National Down Syndrome Congress, and The Arc of the United States, hosted a "Protect Children with Disabilities, Protect IDEA" town hall on November 4th.
Disability Organizations Condemn Inclusion of Voucher Bill in House Markup
May 13, 2025
CLE joined the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), the Council for Exceptional Children, and The Arc of the United States in condemning the inclusion of this budget reconciliation bill that will include a $20 billion proposal diverting public funds to private schools via the Educational Choice for Children Act (ECCA).
Disability Rights Virtual Press Conference
March 20, 2025
CLE joined the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), the Autism Society, the Council for Exceptional Children, the Arc, and the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) discussing the unprecedented actions threatening the civil rights of students, particularly those with disabilities. Disability rights leaders discussed the consequences of dismantling the Department of Education and offered actionable next steps for families, educators, advocates, and policymakers.
Policy Recommendations
Advocacy Resources
Join us by raising your voice.
Use the action toolkits below for resources on contacting your elected official to urge them to stand up for the rights of students with disabilities, plus social media copy to help spread the word.
- Reject the OSERS and OCR Interagency Agreements, June 2026
- Protect the IDEA and Students with Disabilities, November 2025