Rep. John W. Mannion (NY-22,) alongside Representatives Jahana Hayes (CT-5) and Lucy McBath (GA-6,) introduced the “Protecting Students with Disabilities Act” to ensure that special education programs within the U.S. Department of Education are administered as Congress intended.
This legislation reaffirms the department’s statutory responsibilities under the landmark ”Individuals with Disabilities Education Act” (IDEA) and prevents any attempts to weaken enforcement or disrupt critical services for students with disabilities, according to a press release from Mannion’s office.
This bill is Mannion’s first piece of legislation in Congress and serves as a direct response to the Trump administration’s efforts to dismantle the Department of Education by transferring special education programs to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), according to Mannion’s office.
“Such a move would disregard federal law, undermine oversight, and threaten the quality of education and support services for millions of students with Individualized Education Programs (IEPs),” Mannion’s press release says.
“The IDEA has been the foundation of special education in the United States for 50 years, ensuring that students with disabilities receive the free, appropriate public education they are entitled to under federal law,” mannion said. “Attempts to strip special education programs from the Department of Education and shift them to agencies without the expertise or legal mandate to oversee their implementation are not only reckless but also unlawful. The Protecting Students with Disabilities Act ensures that Congress, not the executive branch, determines how we support and educate children with disabilities. I’m proud to stand with Representatives McBath and Hayes to uphold our commitment to these students, their families, and educators.”
Hayes and McBath shared Mannion’s point of view.
“The Protecting Students with Disabilities Act aims to ensure IDEA programs are administered as Congress intended, upholding the right of students with special needs to receive the free and appropriate public education they deserve,” Hayes said.
“As we’ve seen with recent actions, our public school system is under attack. IDEA programs and resources provided by the Department of Education are the only way that schools can offer the specific support necessary to provide a quality education to a child with disabilities,” McBath said. “Every family in this country has the right to a free and appropriate education that is tailored to their child’s needs. I am proud to stand with both of my colleagues and former public-school teachers, Representatives Mannion and Hayes, as we defend that right in Congress.”
Prior to IDEA, kids with disabilities were regularly turned away from public schools and were denied access to a basic education.
The Protecting Students with Disabilities Act prohibits the use of federal funds to eliminate, consolidate, or restructure any office within the Department of Education that administers or enforces IDEA programs.
It protects the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), which has spent decades developing the necessary expertise, research, and oversight mechanisms to ensure states comply with IDEA and provide high-quality special education services.
As a New York State senator Mannion was the founding chairman of the Senate Disabilities Committee and during his nearly 30-year career as a public school science teacher worked in a 15:1 special education classroom directly supporting students with disabilities.
The legislation is supported by leading advocacy organizations, including the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), National Education Association (NEA), National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), the Council of Administrators of Special Education (CASE), and EdTrust.
