McMahon Begins Tenure as Secretary of Education
On March 3rd, the U.S. Senate confirmed Linda McMahon as the 13th Secretary of Education on a party-line vote. That day, she issued a memo calling her term a “final mission” for the U.S. Department of Education (ED) and underscored her vision “to send education back to the states and empower all parents to choose an excellent education for their children.” She added, “The Department of Education’s role in this new era of accountability is to restore the rightful role of state oversight in education and to end the overreach from Washington.” On Wednesday evening, the draft executive order (EO) text to eliminate ED was leaked ahead of an anticipated signing ceremony on Thursday. By mid-morning Thursday, the EO was paused without explanation. It could still be signed at any time.
Why this matters for CEC members:
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) is a federal law implemented through the U.S. Department of Education that sets the minimum standards for what all States must do to support the education of infants, toddlers, children, and youth with disabilities.
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ED ensures the provision of a free and appropriate public education (FAPE) in the least restrictive environment.
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ED supports personnel preparation, training and technical assistance, and family supports as authorized by IDEA.
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Prior to the enactment of the federal IDEA law, only 1 in 5 children with disabilities were educated in a public school.
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Only Congress can dismantle ED or IDEA.
CEC members and allies have sent over 13,000 letters to Congress emphasizing the importance of upholding the federal IDEA law and the critical role that ED plays in ensuring FAPE and the law’s other functions. You can join them here.