Senate Panel Hears from Secretary McMahon on Education Budget
On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies (Labor-H) heard from Secretary of Education Linda McMahon about the Fiscal Year (FY) 2027 budget proposal for the U.S. Department of Education (ED). McMahon presented her vision for “returning education to the states” through consolidations, block-grants, and the transfer of existing programs and offices at ED to other agencies through interagency agreements (IAAs). McMahon highlighted a “historic” proposed increase to special education- the ED budget would increase overall spending for the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) by $538 million while eliminating the IDEA preschool program and IDEA National Activities, which includes personnel preparation and professional development, technical assistance, support for parents, and technology for special education.
Democrats on the Subcommittee were highly critical of the FY 2027 budget, including the consolidation of 17 K-12 programs in excess of $6 billion into a $2 billion Make Education Great Again block grant to states, and of the unilateral effort to close ED through canceled grants and contracts, a significant reduction in force, and the use of IAAs. Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), Vice Chair of the full Appropriations Committee, remarked that she hears from parents of children with disabilities daily about their fear that special education could be moved to the Department of Health and Human Services, deemphasizing education for their children.
McMahon responded that when parents express their fears to her, she asks them if they would rather have her overseeing their child’s education or the people who know their children best, including parents. The Secretary of Education does not oversee any child’s individual education, but the Office of Special Education Programs in ED provides an important oversight role to ensure students’ rights are upheld.
Action Alert
Stand up for special education! Lend your voice in calling on Congress to fund all parts of IDEA and avoid any cuts for infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities, their families, and the professionals who serve them.