The Trump administration is under scrutiny as it seeks to transfer oversight of special education to a different agency while implementing significant layoffs in the Education Department. Advocates warn that these cuts, which have seen the majority of special education staff laid off, threaten the essential support for over 190,000 students with disabilities in Massachusetts alone. As the department reduces its workforce amid a government shutdown, parents and educators express deep concern over the potential loss of resources and oversight for special needs programming. Lawmakers, including House Democrats and Senator Maggie Goodlander, have condemned these actions, citing the detrimental impact on children reliant on special education services. Reports indicate that the Office of Special Education has been drastically reduced, raising alarms about the future of special education as the federal role in supporting these services appears to diminish. As debates continue about restructuring within the Education Department, the fate of special education remains a contentious issue for families across the country.