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AFB Concerned About Moving Disability Programs out of the Department of Education

June 16, 2026

The Department of Education announced today that two of its primary offices serving people with disabilities will be moved in some capacity. It has said that it will partner with the Department of Health and Human Services to administer programs under the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) and with the Department of Justice to conduct civil rights enforcement for the Office for Civil Rights.

These offices ensure that students with disabilities get the education they deserve and ensure that states deliver rehabilitation services for working adults and older adults who are blind. In addition to state educational and VR agencies, some of the current recipients of funding include the American Printing House for the Blind, which ensures students have accessible educational materials, and the Helen Keller National Center, which supports DeafBlind adults. Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind formula grants are also overseen by OSERS. It is essential that these programs continue to receive uninterrupted support and funding.

This is not the first change to the Department of Education. Last fall, other programs and staff within the Department of Education began to be moved to the Department of Labor and other agencies, with the Department of Education conducting limited oversight of the moved programs. These moves have been effectuated by interagency agreements without Congressional authorization. While some reductions in force were rescinded, numerous staff at the Department of Education were let go last year, and the Office for Civil Rights continues to dismiss high percentages of the complaints it receives without investigation.

Today’s announcement raises more questions than it answers. We need clear answers about how children and adults who are blind or have low vision will continue to be supported by federal grants for education and vocational rehabilitation and how civil rights laws, like the IDEA and the Rehabilitation Act, will be implemented and enforced. We will be looking for answers to the following questions and others raised in this transition:

  • Which subagencies and professionals will be involved in administering each of these programs?
  • Will people with expertise in blindness, disability, special education, and rehabilitation services be making decisions about and providing oversight to the programs serving our community?
  • Given that OIB is not explicitly mentioned in the Interagency Agreement, will its administration also move to HHS?
  • Will reductions in staff at all three agencies affect their capacity to deliver on their responsibilities?
  • How will policy and programmatic priorities change?
  • Will grants administered by these offices change? Will grantees have a clear understanding of who is supporting their programs and how to receive funds on time?
  • Will there be changes to competitive grants for programs like data collection and personnel preparation?
  • Will individuals and parents know how to file civil rights complaints, and will all complaints be reviewed?
  • What effect will separating grant administration and compliance activities have on oversight of states and local agencies carrying out the IDEA and Rehabilitation Act?
  • How will these agencies carry out coordination of activities across departmental lines with different administrative structures, missions, and cultures?

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