NCLD Stands Against Executive Order Seeking to Illegally Dismantle the U.S. Department of Education

Washington, D..C.—March 20, 2025—Today, President Trump signed an Executive Order to dismantle the Department of Education under the guise of “empowering families.” Despite claims that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will remain unchanged, we at the National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD) believe that students with disabilities, their families, and educators are at profound risk and condemn these actions. This Executive Order comes after two months of chaos and  destabilizing policies, look including the purging of Department staff last week through the Reduction in Force order, all in an effort to strip away necessary federal oversight and accountability.

“Dismantling the Department of Education is a direct attack on students’ rights, particularly those with disabilities,” says Dr. Jacqueline Rodriguez, CEO of NCLD. “For decades, families have fought for high-quality, inclusive education, and we will not allow this administration to erase that progress or return to an era of exclusion and inequality.”

Over 8 million children are served under IDEA, and an additional 1.6 million are served under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. Nearly 20% of undergraduate students identify as disabled. The Department of Education plays a critical role in ensuring that students with disabilities receive the services and supports they are legally entitled to. Dismantling it will directly harm millions of students and undermine our nation’s commitment to equal access to education. Without the Department of Education’s enforcement and guidance, there will be no mechanism to ensure schools follow the law, putting critical services and protections at risk.

Let us also remember that IDEA, at its core, is an education law. Students with disabilities must be seen as students first. Dismantling or otherwise moving the oversight of IDEA to the Dept of Health and Human Services, as suggested, signals this Administration’s intent to see people with disabilities through the medical model, as though our students need to be cured, and overlooks the systemic barriers our students face in schools. 

While we know that it requires Congressional approval to dismantle the Department, any version of enforcement of this Executive Order will strip away protections for millions of students, especially those with disabilities. For decades, parents have fought for their children’s right to an equitable education. We will not stand by as this administration attempts to erase those hard-won rights.