A Message from Acting Assistant Secretary Kelly Rogers

My name is Kelly Rogers and I serve as the Acting Assistant Secretary for the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, or OSERS, at the U.S. Department of Education. Most of you don't know me because, at the federal level, we don't work directly with your child's school, but we do oversee two critical laws that protect you and your child. First, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, or IDEA. This federal entitlement law guarantees early intervention services and a free, appropriate public education for children with disabilities. Secondly, the Rehabilitation Act. This is the federal law that ensures youth and adults with disabilities can access the vocational rehabilitation and employment services that support competitive, integrative employment in their communities. Last week, OSERS announced a new partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I would like to extend my sincere gratitude to the many parents and partners who shared invaluable feedback with the Secretary and our team that helped shape this decision. Your insights on barriers to services and ideas for improving support for your children and families were definitely heard, including that one of OSERS' primary functions, monitoring states' oversight of IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act, can and should be enhanced. I'm also grateful for the thoughtful questions and ongoing input we've received since this partnership was announced. Let me be clear. The federal government must remain transparent and accountable. But there has also been false and misleading information spreading online, especially regarding services for your child that are protected under the IDEA. Information designed to scare, confuse, and politicize issues that should never be politicized. Parents of children with disabilities already carry so much balancing work, life, meetings, therapies, and constant worry. You deserve support, respect, and truth, not fear-mongering. As both the Acting Assistant Secretary and a mother of a son with autism who truly understands the path parents are walking, I want to speak directly to you with clarity and facts. So here they are. IDEA is an educational law, not a medical law. This partnership does not and cannot change that. Your child's rights to a free, appropriate public education remain fully protected. States and territories will continue to receive annual federal funding for IDEA services. Those federal funds will continue flowing to state education agencies, which will continue funding local school districts. Funding is not being decreased. In fact, the administration increased IDEA funding by over $144 million for this coming year and proposed a historic increase of more than half a billion dollars for fiscal year 2027. The federal government does not make placement or service decisions for your child. Those decisions will continue to be made together by you and the Individualized Education Plan team to support your child in the least restrictive environment with high expectations for graduation, further education, and or competitive career development, independence, and self-sufficiency. Improved outcomes for children occur through a true partnership between parents, teachers, and the school. That's what returning education to the states is all about. Under the direction, authority, and full support of the Secretary of Education, OSERS will continue to vigorously monitor and enforce IDEA protections. The partnership with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services will leverage additional expertise and technology to strengthen that work, not replace it. Bottom line, the IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act predate the creation of the Department of Education. Your child's rights and protections under these laws are unchanged. Lastly, I wish your family a wonderful, restful, and joy-filled summer. And when school begins this fall, your child will continue receiving the services they are entitled to under federal law. You have my promise.