Special education advocacy group reacts to U.S. Education Department cuts

NINA MOINI: Well, as of this coming Friday, the Federal Department of Education is expected to shrink by half. The Trump administration has laid off more than 1,300 workers. 21 states, including Minnesota, have sued to stop the layoffs.

One of the agency's major roles is making sure students with disabilities can get an education. Special education programs are required by law. And they have not been cut. But parent advocates in Minnesota say they're watching for other impacts, including some indirect ones. Joining me now in the studio is Gretchen Godfrey, Associate Director of the Minnesota-based organization PACER Center. Thanks so much for coming, Gretchen.

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Thanks for having me.

NINA MOINI: For starters, can you tell us a little bit about what PACER does and how you're involved with this?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. So PACER Center is a parent training organization for families of children with disabilities in Minnesota from birth through young adulthood. And we provide services through three main programs-- parent training and advocacy, assistive technology, and social inclusion. And one of those core services is helping families navigate the special education system.

NINA MOINI: Wonderful. So one of the things that's been challenging is with so many changes and what's been going on in the past couple of months, a lot of people feel they're in limbo, either with resources that might be coming their way or jobs that they may have had. When you're talking with parents right now, what are you making sure to explain to them about how the services their families need would interact with the Federal Department of Education?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. I mean, with all the changes and the fast pace of the news and the uncertainty of what is coming next, it's hard not to be concerned about the impact on students with disabilities. However, when we talk directly with families, particularly those who are contacting us because they're concerned about how to access services for their child today, we want to block out some of that noise and really focus on what changes have actually happened and how do those impact their children.

NINA MOINI: Have you or are you beginning to see some of those indirect impacts that we talked about?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: So not yet. In terms of the staffing at the US Department of Education, it's important to think about the big picture, that students with disabilities are part of the general student population. And any changes that undermine that infrastructure could impact them. A lot of students with disabilities wouldn't have any other options besides the public schools. So we want to be sure to be mindful in watching for that any potential downsides of looking to decimate the US Department of Education.

But at the same time, we were-- we've also seen hopeful signs that the administration is not targeting students with disabilities. So for example, there weren't any cuts in the Federal Office of Special Education Programs. There weren't any cuts to the National Center on Special Education Research. However, the Federal Office for Civil Rights had massive layoffs. And that's where some parents choose to bring claims of disability discrimination. And they're the staff who investigate those. So we are concerned about the impact of that.

NINA MOINI: How much of the system and the infrastructure is protected by law and not up to the president or federal places?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. So underneath the US Department of Education, the law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act is the federal special education law. Even if President Trump were to issue an executive order today eliminating the Department of Education, that would take an act of Congress to put in place. Even if that did happen, then that oversight of that law would need to be transferred to another agency. So it would take several steps in order to change that federal special education policy.

Additionally, Minnesota has its own special education statutes, which are very strong. Actually, Minnesota passed our special education law back in 1957. So it's long been a priority of the state to protect and educate students with disabilities.

NINA MOINI: What are some of the ongoing challenges to being able to meet the need, to begin with, with special education programs in the state?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. A lot of parents who contact us have concerns that their IEP services, or Individualized Education Program services, are not being fully implemented. They're also contacting us because of concerns about their students being bullied. And a lot of the time, it comes down to staffing. We've heard a lot about staffing shortages. And that really comes into play in terms of special education, even though the law remains that they must follow and provide the services that the children need.

NINA MOINI: Resources, funding-wise, how are things?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. So right now, the funding at the-- continuing resolution at the federal level has kept funding fairly stable. We're concerned and watching what's happening at the state level. Special education and other disability services have been raised as a cost driver. And we really think it's important to maintain strong funding to support special education in the state.

NINA MOINI: And tell me more about why that is, how it impacts other students and the educational system at large.

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. So in terms of Minnesota, the federal funding only covers around 8% of special education costs. So maintaining that state support is really important. And special education students are part of the overall student population. And they deserve to receive a quality education, just like any other student.

NINA MOINI: Education Secretary Linda McMahon and the federal government, the Trump administration, have said, this is about efficiency. This is about making things work better in the long term, having some discomfort on the front end. But it's really about making spending more efficient, not taking things away. What do you think about that argument, that shrinking the department could actually lead to greater efficiency?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. I think we have concerns that there hasn't been a lot of time in really studying and researching the problem to know whether these cuts will have the impact that they think that they might have. And like I mentioned, in Minnesota, we're fortunate to have strong special education laws. But many other states may not be in that situation. So even though PACERS in Minnesota-- and that's our focused audience-- we're concerned about maintaining a federal presence that's really paying attention to and supporting students with disabilities.

NINA MOINI: What about the involvement of people with disabilities in the policy work and just in the framework? I know in past reporting I've done, people sometimes feel like they're not being represented by people who are living with disabilities a lot of times. So what's being done to bring people more into the forefront of being able to advocate for themselves and their community?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. PACER Center and other parent training organizations around the country do have a priority to do training for youth with disabilities themselves as well. That includes self-advocacy training so that they can participate in their own IEP meetings and really help lead that conversation. A lot of staff at our organization are parents of children with disabilities, which is a little different than what you said. But they all are bringing that family experience to be sure that the lived experience of people with disabilities are part of the process.

NINA MOINI: So in the few weeks or in the months to come, what are you going to be watching for? You mentioned some things going on at the State Capitol. But what are you going to be watching for and keeping your eye on?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. We'll certainly be paying attention at both the federal and the state level. And at both places, we work in coalition with other disability advocacy organizations and will certainly put out grassroots call to action if it comes to that. In terms of Minnesota, I mentioned that we do have strong special education laws. And there have been some bills that have looked at cutting some provisions that we think are important. So we're always in contact with our state legislators and communicating our concerns about those.

NINA MOINI: Yeah, just keeping an eye on all of it. And just before we go, what would you say to a parent or a family member or anybody listening who feels like they need additional resources, things are not going the way they're supposed to go? What is the first line of where people can go to get help for that?

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Sure. So PACER Center is a great place to start. They can look at our website and give us a call or contact us via our web form. If that's not a good option for them, we always encourage everyone to have strong relationships with their IEP team and contact their special education director. But PACER's website has a lot of great information. And we're here to help any family who needs assistance.

NINA MOINI: Thank you so much, Gretchen, for your time. I really appreciate you coming.

GRETCHEN GODFREY: Thank you.

NINA MOINI: That's Gretchen Godfrey, Associate Director of the PACER Center here in Minnesota.