Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 20
Senate Panel Weighs July Vote to Block Special Education Shift to HHS
Updated
Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 20

Senate Panel Weighs July Vote to Block Special Education Shift to HHS

3 articles · Updated · USA TODAY · Jun 20

Summary

  • A Senate education committee is preparing a July vote on legislation that would stop the Trump administration from moving core federal special education functions to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s Health and Human Services Department.
  • Bill Cassidy, the Republican committee chairman, broke with the administration and said special education "should not be moved to HHS," giving Democratic Sen. Tim Kaine a potential bipartisan opening.
  • Kaine's measure targets programs in the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, and support from moderates such as Lisa Murkowski and Susan Collins could help it gain traction.
  • The proposed transfer is part of Trump's broader push to dismantle the Education Department, a plan that has alarmed disability rights groups despite administration assurances that students' rights and services will not be disrupted.

Insights

If special education moves to HHS, how will accountability for students' academic progress under federal law be enforced?
Could merging health and education oversight create a more holistic support system, or will it simply medicalize students' needs?
Does transferring civil rights enforcement to the Justice Department strengthen protections or create new barriers for families seeking recourse?