50th anniversary of IDEA; $500M federal budget increase, $144M boost
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Last year marked 50 years of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the momentous law that secured federal protections for infants, toddlers, and students with disabilities and their families. Today, more than 8 million individuals with disabilities are served under IDEA and guaranteed early intervention and a free appropriate education — more than double the number since the law passed in 1975.
I had the privilege of celebrating this milestone at an elementary school. I imagined a time when many of the students before me would have been excluded from public education and felt proud that our nation opened school doors wider for all children.
IDEA is a generational achievement. But 50 years later, we still have work to do. As many reading this can attest, families still navigate a difficult day‑to‑day reality.
Over the past several months, my team and I have held listening sessions with over a thousand parents, educators, state early intervention and special education directors, and advocates across the country to better understand the current state of services for individuals with disabilities.
These conversations underscored the promise and importance of IDEA and the importance of federal civil rights protections for children with disabilities. Yet, even with IDEA’s protections, many parents recounted fighting tooth and nail for timely and appropriate services, draining their savings to give their child the best chance to succeed. They described the challenges that abound in every part of their child’s life when they are not receiving necessary educational services. . . .
Not only will IDEA funds still flow to states, but under the Trump administration, we proposed to Congress that special education funding should increase. President Trump’s Fiscal Year 2027 budget includes a request for a historic increase of more than half a billion dollars above the previous appropriation Congress made for special education services and proposals to reduce paperwork burdens, so special education teachers can spend more time serving students. And just last month, we announced a new $144 million boost for states and local agencies for IDEA programs.
Parents: I've heard you. The decision I've made ensures programmatic alignment, bolsters enforcement of the law, and provides us with the best opportunity to address the very things you've told me need to be fixed.
I will not relent in advocating for you and your children, so that 50 years from now, we can look back and be amazed at the progress we have made.
My team and I are honored to walk side by side with you in this work. I look forward to continuing to collaborate with you to make this partnership successful.
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