Tell the Council: No Blank Checks for Developers! The County Council votes TOMORROW (4/29/2025) at 10:05 AM

 

Having trouble viewing this email? View it in your web browser Tell the Council: No Blank Checks for Developers! County Executive Marc Elrich has vetoed PILOT (Payment in Lieu of Taxes for Developers) Expedited Bill 2-25—and for good reason. Here’s why this bill is a bad deal for residents: Massive Loss of Revenue: The bill gives away 100% of property taxes for 20 years to developers, costing the County hundreds of millions—money desperately needed for schools, infrastructure, and services. No Real Affordable Housing Gains: The bill barely increases affordable housing requirements. It doesn’t require any workforce housing and mostly subsidizes market-rate units. Corporate Giveaway, No Demonstrated Need: Developers would get millions in tax breaks even if they don't need them—with no proof their projects wouldn’t happen without subsidies. Undermines Local Businesses: Instead of revitalizing office spaces through programs like MOVE, the bill incentivizes pushing out businesses from partially occupied buildings. Unfair and Rushed: It rewards some developers while others pay their fair share. Worse, the Council rushed the bill through with minimal public input and no spending cap to protect taxpayers. Call to Action: The County Council votes TOMORROW at 10:05 AM on whether to override the veto. Residents must act now! Email Councilmembers today! Just click on link and tell them: Stand With Residents, Not Developers—Reject the Veto Override! The at-large councilmembers: Councilmember Gabe Albornoz Councilmember Evan Glass Councilmember Will Jawando - The only one to listen to residents and voted NO on PILOT Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles Email and phone here and pasted below Contact Us - Montgomery County Council, Maryland -Not into emails, then call, but be heard, because your voice matters! Name Phone Email Website Gabe Albornoz 240-777-7959 Councilmember.Albornoz@montgomerycountymd.gov Albornoz Website Marilyn Balcombe 240-777-7960 Councilmember.Balcombe@montgomerycountymd.gov Balcombe Website Natali Fani-González 240-777-7870 Councilmember.Fani-Gonzalez@montgomerycountymd.gov Fani-González Website Andrew Friedson 240-777-7828 Councilmember.Friedson@montgomerycountymd.gov Friedson Website Evan Glass 240-777-7966 Councilmember.Glass@montgomerycountymd.gov Glass Website Will Jawando 240-777-7811 Councilmember.Jawando@montgomerycountymd.gov Jawando Website Sidney Katz 240-777-7906 Councilmember.Katz@montgomerycountymd.gov Katz Website Dawn Luedtke 240-777-7860 Councilmember.Luedtke@montgomerycountymd.gov Luedtke Website Kristin Mink 240-777-7955 Councilmember.Mink@montgomerycountymd.gov Mink Website Laurie-Anne Sayles 240-777-7964 Councilmember.Sayles@montgomerycountymd.gov Sayles Website Kate Stewart 240-777-7968 Councilmember.Stewart@montgomerycountymd.gov Stewart Website

Montgomery County’s unneeded Supreme Court fight

 

“What’s the big deal?” This was the very pertinent question posed by Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr. during Tuesday’s oral arguments in Mahmoud v. Taylor. Why has the defendant — the Montgomery County, Maryland, school district — come before the Supreme Court with what should have been a minor administrative issue?

In 2022, Montgomery County introduced into its language arts curriculum a set of books that affirm LGBTQ+ identities. As with other material that might conflict with families’ religious values, such as sex education, the district allowed parents an opt-out. Then, it abruptly rescinded that option and refused to reconsider, even after some parents sued.

This is how Alan Schoenfeld, the school district’s lawyer, ended up in court trying to explain to Alito why the district was unable to accommodate parents with religious objections. “The plaintiffs here are not asking the school to change its curriculum,” Alito pointed out. “They’re just saying, look, we want out. Why isn’t that feasible? What is the big deal about allowing them to opt out of this?”

Schoenfeld tried to argue that the administrative burden was too great but, when asked why it was so much greater than the opt-outs available for health class, he appeared to struggle, finally responding that those opt-outs were mandated by state law, whereas the reading opt-outs were not...

https://wapo.st/4lM34Ok

Maryland school districts try workaround to Trump order to cut DEI, but judge makes it moot for now

 In The Baltimore Sun, reporters Bridget Byrne and Mary Carole McCauley. Full story here.

Maryland schools will not be required to sign a certification of compliance with the U.S. Department of Education’s demand to cut diversity, equity and inclusion — for now — but had planned a workaround to avoid signing anyway.

A federal judge on Thursday temporarily blocked the Trump administration’s mandate against DEI efforts in public schools, which they argue is as illegal based on Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and Students for Fair Admissions v. Harvard.

In February, the Department of Education sent a letter to state department of education demanding schools remove DEI from “all aspects of student life” or lose all federal funding. This year, the Maryland State Department of Education received a total of $285.6 million in federal funds.

That letter was followed up on April 3 with a letter insisting all local school superintendents sign the certification, setting a deadline to return the document by Thursday.

While other states, including Colorado, Minnesota, New York, Oregon, Vermont and Wisconsin, refused to sign the certification point-blank, Maryland’s Department of Education was considering returning an alternative certification.

In an April 7 memo obtained by The Baltimore Sun, Maryland State Superintendent of Schools Carey Wright asked local superintendents to sign an alternative certification, hoping it will allow them to retain federal funding without dismantling DEI programs.

State officials revised the certification to say only that school districts are in “full compliance” with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and do not discriminate based on “race, color and national origin.”

The federal government’s proposed certification letter goes further than Wright’s alternative.

Supreme Court signals support for Maryland parents who object to LGBTQ books in public schools

 From the AP, reporter Mark Sherman. Read the whole story here.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Tuesday signaled support for the religious rights of parents in Maryland who want to remove their children from elementary school classes using storybooks with LGBTQ characters.

The court seemed likely to find that the Montgomery County school system, in suburban Washington, could not require elementary school children to sit through lessons involving the books if parents expressed religious objections to the material.

The case is one of three religious rights cases at the court this term. The justices have repeatedly endorsed claims of religious discrimination in recent years.

NYT Opinion: My School District Could Have Avoided This Supreme Court Case

...I begrudge the public money wasted on expensive lawyers. I can’t fathom that we squandered so much energy fighting over storybooks even as our kids’ test scores foundered, absenteeism soared and student mental health slumped in the wake of the pandemic.

I can’t decide which conceit is more delusional: The school district grandstanding about social tolerance while forcing a minority of religious families to engage with books they consider immoral or the religious parents claiming that they can’t properly rear their children in faith if the kids get exposed to a few picture books. Both positions, it seems to me, rest on a cartoonishly inflated sense of school’s influence on children. And both seek an ideologically purified classroom while underestimating the sweep of ideas and information kids absorb simply by existing in our world.

Most of all, I feel that our community’s failure to resolve a thoroughly predictable tension with the time-tested tools of straight talk, compromise and extending one another a little grace has made for a demoralizing spectacle. And I can’t help but notice that our district, in its clumsy efforts to force tolerance, might have given the Supreme Court an opening to repress L.G.B.T.Q.-related speech in the nation’s schools...

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/18/opinion/lgbtq-books-supreme-court.html?searchResultPosition=3

"The committee members weren't enamored with any of FLO's work."

Washington County Trades Redistricting Software for Free App

The committee who split Spokane County into five commissioner districts spent hundreds of hours drawing maps this year as they determined how to divide the county into equally populated, politically fair pieces.

November 02, 2021 • 

Colin Tiernan, The Spokesman-Review

...FLO Analytics, the committee's contractor, performed several essential duties for the redistricting process. For instance, FLO helped gather public comments on the redistricting plan.

The committee members weren't enamored with any of FLO's work. But it was FLO's technological performance, and the map-drawing software they provided, that drew the bulk of the committee's ire.

FLO Analytics did not agree to an interview with The Spokesman-Review, but provided a written statement over email...

https://www.govtech.com/civic/washington-county-trades-redistricting-software-for-free-app

"Cram didn’t answer whether the change will impact the cost of the contract."

MCPS takes over leadership for boundary study’s community engagement  

...The Montgomery County school board approved a $1.3 million contract in December to hire FLO Analytics, an “employee-owned consulting” company with offices in Oregon, Washington and Massachusetts to conduct a school boundary study. The school board must adopt new boundaries by March 2026 since new schools that will be impacted by the revised boundaries are scheduled to open in August 2027. Bloom Planning was hired as a subcontractor to focus on community engagement as part of the study.    

MCPS spokesperson Chris Cram said Wednesday that the first few community engagement sessions were managed by FLO Analytics, and that was a “small hand off” from Bloom because the first community survey was managed by the subcontractor. Cram didn’t answer whether the change will impact the cost of the contract...

https://bethesdamagazine.com/2025/04/15/mcps-takes-over-leadership-boundary-study/

The Current: A Call for Student Awareness: Rethinking Our Response to Lockdowns

This past week, our campus experienced a lockdown followed by a shelter-in-place order due to a reported assault in the vicinity. This situation has sparked a serious concern for me, particularly regarding my classmates’ reactions to such a critical incident.

While lockdowns are not a new concept in American schools, the immediate response from many students was disheartening. Instead of feeling alarmed, the predominant response seemed to be annoyance, with comments like, “Oh, not this again,” echoing in the halls. This reaction highlights a troubling trend: the normalization of school threats. These potentially dangerous situations seem to have become yet another routine disruption to our education rather than a serious call for caution. 

I am genuinely grateful for our administration’s commitment to our students’ safety; they take every report seriously and implement procedures to protect us. However, the fact that incidents like this create a more annoyed than anxious response among students is alarming. It raises critical questions about our collective mindset toward safety and preparedness. We all need to be part of the solution in an environment where threats can occur and students’ safety is on the line. 

During the recent lockdown, I observed my peers listening to music, playing mobile games, and casually chatting during a shelter-in-place. This behavior, which I found disconcerting, undermines the seriousness of the situation and poses a significant safety risk...

https://wmcurrent.com/41748/showcase/a-call-for-student-awareness-rethinking-our-response-to-lockdowns/

Governor Moore to sign controversial bill amending the Child Victims Act

BALTIMORE (WBFF) — A bill proposing changes to the Child Victims Act is on the way to Governor Wes Moore’s desk.

The Child Victims Act of 2023 removed the statute of limitations for filing child abuse lawsuits.

The governor’s office confirmed he plans to sign House Bill 1378 into law, taking effect on June 1.

Emily Malarkey, from Bekman, Marder, Hopper, Malarkey & Perlin, LLC, said, “The bill makes significant changes to the Child Victims Act of 2023.”

Under the original law passed in 2023, child sex abuse survivors may receive up to $1.5 million dollars per incident for claims against private institutions, while governmental agencies are limited to payouts of $890,000 per incident.

However, this new bill would slash child sex abuse survivors’ compensation to a maximum of $700,000 if abused by a private institution and $400,000 if abused by governmental agencies.

The bill would also modify the “per incident” payout.

“That means no matter how many times a child endured sexual abuse or by how many people, the survivor may only recover one cap on pain and suffering damages,” Malarkey said...

https://foxbaltimore.com/news/local/governor-moore-to-sign-controversial-bill-amending-the-child-victims-act

MoCo school board approves Kennedy High principal appointment

 Story in Bethesda Magazine by reporter Ashlyn Campbell. For the whole story go here. 

Leaders Also Selected for elementary schools in Bethesda, Damascus

The Montgomery County school board unanimously approved the appointments of three new school principals on Thursday, filling the leadership roles at John F. Kennedy High School in Silver Spring, Wyngate Elementary School in Bethesda and Lois P. Rockwell Elementary School in Damascus.  

The school board also approved the appointments of a deputy chief in financial oversight, a director position in budget management, and an associate superintendent for the Department of Multilingual Education for Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS). 

The board appointed Karla López-Arias to serve as the principal of Kennedy High beginning July 1. According to MCPS, López-Arias has been employed with the district for the last 18 years, serving as a teacher, assistant school administrator, assistant principal and most recently as a supervisor in the Department of Student Engagement, Behavioral Health and Academics. 

The board also appointed Catherine Guenthner to serve as principal of Wyngate Elementary. 

In addition, Brooke Simon was appointed to serve as principal of Lois P. Rockwell Elementary in Damascus.

And:

Katheryne Morales was appointed to serve as an associate superintendent in the Division of Multilingual Education. Morales serves as an assistant superintendent of multilingual education in the East Ramapo Central School District in Rockland County, New York, according to her LinkedIn profile. 

The board also appointed Angelina Filipova to serve as a director in the Department of Management and Budget.

Allen Francois was appointed to serve as a deputy chief in the Division of Financial Oversight. According to his LinkedIn profile, Francois serves as the director of school finance in the District of Columbia Public Schools. 

Black Mothers and Infants Face Higher Health Complications in Montgomery County, Report Reveals

Black mothers and infants in Montgomery County face disproportionately higher rates of health complications, according to a report from the Office of Legislative Oversight. Commissioned by Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles, the report, Racial Disparities in Maternal and Infant Health Outcomes, reveals that the maternal morbidity rate for Black women is 54 percent higher than the countywide average.

The report found that Black individuals in Montgomery County experience considerably worse maternal and infant health outcomes, including the highest rates of severe maternal morbidity (SMM), cesarean births, preterm births, low birth weight, and fetal and infant deaths. The report also notes that one-third of severe maternal morbidity cases in Maryland are preventable. These disparities are expected to worsen as the county’s Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) population grows.

 https://www.mymcmedia.org/black-mothers-and-infants-face-higher-health-complications-report-reveals/

What Maryland lawmakers changed about child care, schools and colleges

 In the Baltimore Banner, story by reporters Maya Lora, Kristen Griffith, and Ellie Wolfe. To read the full story go here.

The Maryland Legislative session has just ended and the Baltimore Banner has a recap of bills that passed and those that didn't. Here are some excerpts from the article.

Equity efforts for teachers and school leaders

It could be a little easier for educators of color to enter the teaching profession, thanks to the passage of a bill that alters the path to a teaching license. Educators will no longer have to take a popular licensure test that “has been found to contain racial bias that may affect the test’s scoring, has limited efficacy to assess performance, and poses a financial burden for aspiring educator applicants,” the Maryland State Education Association said via email.

The state’s teachers union also supported a successful bill that requires each county school board member to take anti-bias training. It used to only be a requirement for educators. The extension to board members is intended to make those in charge of school policy decisions “well informed of their role in preventing bias, prejudice, and hate,” the union stated.

Lawmakers attempted to improve the educator workforce with a few other bills, but not all of them made it to the finish line. That includes one that would’ve required all school systems to use a national database to screen job applicants for disciplinary actions reported by school districts across the country. The bill had strong support in the senate but never made it out of committee.

The Interstate Teacher Mobility Compact bill also fell short. It could’ve helped Maryland public schools hire teachers with out-of-state credentials more easily. However, the bill had a short life in the house and never got a vote.

No statewide ban on cellphones in schools

Baltimore City Public Schools passed a cellphone ban this week, and Howard County already has one. Despite early evidence that suggests bans can lead to better grades and sharper focus for students, lawmakers did not pass any bills requiring other school districts to at least consider doing the same.

One of the bills introduced this year would have required certain county boards of education to develop and adopt a policy on the use of personal electronic devices during school hours. Though the bill was steadily making its way through the statehouse, it didn’t make it to the governor’s desk.

Brookeville Parents Push Back Against Proposed Drug Rehab Center

Brookeville parents have raised concerns about the plans to open a drug rehabilitation facility next to Greenwood Elementary School.

According to reports from several news organizations, two houses directly adjacent to the school along Gold Mine Road were recently purchased to accommodate The Freedom Center. The buildings could potentially house up to 16 clients.

The reports note that parents worry about the safety of their children, especially on the playground during recess hours.

Neighborhood parents have created a petition to attempt to block the opening of the facility. A community meeting to discuss options will be held on March 24 at 7 p.m. Additional information, including a Zoom link for those wishing to attend virtually, can be found at the petition link...

Brookeville Parents Push Back Against Proposed Drug Rehab Center - Montgomery Community Media

NY Education Department is refusing to sign an anti-DEI policy.

New York will not comply with an order from President Donald Trump’s administration to certify that school districts are eliminating diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, state Education Department officials said in a Friday letter obtained by Chalkbeat.

The letter represents some of the earliest and most forceful pushback to Thursday’s threat that gave state education agencies 10 days to guarantee that no public schools in their states have DEI programs the Trump administration deems illegal — or lose billions of dollars in federal education funding.

Federal officials cited the 2023 Supreme Court decision banning race-based affirmative action in college admissions in arguing that any school DEI program used to “advantage one’s race over another” violates federal Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.

But New York officials countered that the state has already certified on multiple occasions that it follows federal anti-discrimination law, and that the U.S. Education Department has no legal right to threaten to withhold federal funding over its own interpretation of the law.

 https://www.chalkbeat.org/newyork/2025/04/04/new-york-state-education-department-wont-certify-trump-administration-anti-dei-policy/

Springbrook High teachers raise concerns about principal’s alleged bullying, retaliation

After a group of teachers at Silver Spring’s Springbrook High School raised concerns about Principal Stephanie Valentine allegedly bullying and retaliating against staff, the school will be holding several listening sessions to address the concerns, according to letters from the school’s staff and Valentine.  

One letter dated March 11 was shared with Bethesda Today on March 21. It was written by several Springbrook High staff members and sent to Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) administrators, school board members and others with the aim of bringing “to your attention the very harmful workplace culture at Springbrook High School that has been fostered under the leadership of Principal Stephanie Valentine,” the letter said. “Over time, a pattern of bullying, intimidation and unprofessional behavior has developed, creating a toxic work environment that significantly affects the morale and well-being of the staff.  

In response, Valentine told staff in an email on March 28 shared with Bethesda Today that listening sessions will be held at the school to help develop “action plans to improve school climate and culture.”  

Valentine has served as the principal of Springbrook High since 2022, according to a 2022 school board document. Prior to serving as the principal of Springbrook, Valentine was the principal of Eastern Middle School in Silver Spring from 2021 to 2022, principal intern at Westland Middle School in Bethesda from 2020 to 2021 and as assistant principal of Francis Scot Key Middle School in Silver Spring from 2016 to 2020, according to the board document...

Springbrook High teachers raise concerns about principal’s alleged bullying, retaliation  - Bethesda Magazine

Blunt Rochester Leads 22 Colleagues in Letter to Secretary McMahon Highlighting Impact of Shuttering the Department of Education on Students with Disabilities

 Washington, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Del.), a member of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, led 22 of her colleagues in sending a letter to U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. In their letter, the Senators highlighted the disastrous harm that shuttering the Department of Education will have on millions of students with disabilities and their families. The Senators also ask critical questions, demanding that the Secretary provide specifics about what changes have been made at the Department thus far and provide detailed information about how the Department will continue meeting its statutory responsibilities to ensure students with disabilities are protected and can continue to pursue a public education.  

There are approximately 9.5 million students with disabilities in the United States. The Department administers critical programs to support these students, such as those authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and conducts vital oversight of federal civil rights laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 95 percent of students served under IDEA attend public schools, and these 7.5 million students comprise 15 percent of the public school population. 

“We write with deep concern regarding the Trump administration’s recent actions to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) and the impact this will have on students with disabilities and their families.” the Senators wrote. “Over the years, the Department has developed specific expertise to deliver on the promise that children with disabilities will have equal and fair access to educational opportunity in the United States.” 

“It is essential to recognize the vital role the Department plays in safeguarding the rights of students with disabilities. We are concerned by President Trump’s effort to transfer implementation and oversight of special education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a move which you indicated you support during your confirmation hearing… The Department of Education is the only agency with an existing institutional infrastructure and a staff of subject matter experts dedicated to ensuring equal educational opportunity for children and students with disabilities,” the Senators continued. “More than this, disabled students deserve to be seen as and treated as the learners and scholars they are. Students with disabilities belong in classrooms alongside their nondisabled peers, and they deserve the accommodations and supports that enable them to thrive.” 

“We are also concerned about the combined efforts from the Department and the ‘Department of Government Efficiency’ (DOGE) to slash $900 million in education-related research and over $600 million in educator preparation grants. These cuts will negatively impact critical research into best practices to support students with disabilities who have the shared dream of graduating high school and contributing to our economy… It is critical that students, parents, teachers, and schools have clear and accurate guidance in response to these recent actions to ensure and affirm the right of all students with disabilities to a free and appropriate public education,” the Senators wrote. 

The full letter can be found HERE and below:

Secretary Linda McMahon

U.S. Department of Education

400 Maryland Avenue SW

Washington, D.C. 20202

Dear Secretary McMahon:

We write with deep concern regarding the Trump administration’s recent actions to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education (the Department) and the impact this will have on students with disabilities and their families. 

Shuttering the Department will cause immense harm to all students, and especially students with disabilities and their families who rely on federal funding for key special education services and support. There are approximately 9.5 million students with disabilities in the United States. The Department administers critical programs to support these students, such as those authorized by the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and conducts vital oversight of federal civil rights laws including the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Civil Rights Act of 1964. 95 percent of students served under IDEA attend public schools, and these 7.5 million students comprise 15 percent of the public school population. 

Over the years, the Department has developed specific expertise to deliver on the promise that children with disabilities will have equal and fair access to educational opportunity in the United States. Congress has promised to families that students with disabilities will have a free appropriate public education in the least restrictive environment and has specifically charged the Department of Education with making that promise real in the lives of students with disabilities. It administers programs that support employment outcomes, like the Vocational Rehabilitation Services program which supports jobseekers with disabilities in preparing for and succeeding at work, including for underserved communities such as Native Americans.  Yet, on March 20th, President Trump signed an executive order directing the closure of the Department.  This followed your decision earlier this month to move forward with a reduction in force plan that will critically damage your ability to fulfill your statutory duties to students with disabilities by eliminating nearly half of your workforce.

It is essential to recognize the vital role the Department plays in safeguarding the rights of students with disabilities. We are concerned by President Trump’s effort to transfer implementation and oversight of special education to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), a move which you indicated you support during your confirmation hearing. The Department of Education has the statutory authority to implement and enforce IDEA. Without an act of Congress giving authority to HHS, this administration’s attempts to shift IDEA responsibility to HHS will merely prevent the law from being enforced at all. The Senate report from 1979 on the creation of the Department of Education found that the “significant, but carefully restrained Federal role in education…is severely hampered by its burial in [The Department of Health, Education and Welfare]…its confusing lines of authority and administration, its fragmentation, and its obvious lack of direction.”  In other words, the Senate’s findings in 1979 indicate that this department structure was inefficient and resulted in a lack of attention to public education. The Department of Education is the only agency with an existing institutional infrastructure and a staff of subject matter experts dedicated to ensuring equal educational opportunity for children and students with disabilities. More than this, disabled students deserve to be seen as and treated as the learners and scholars they are. Students with disabilities belong in classrooms alongside their nondisabled peers, and they deserve the accommodations and supports that enable them to thrive. Because of the Department of Education’s specific expertise, it is best positioned to do the job well and efficiently. Transferring these authorities to HHS will not only overburden an agency already confronting massive workforce cuts orchestrated by this administration, but it will also stretch HHS beyond its expertise as medical, rather than educational, professionals.

We are alarmed by the potential consequences your proposed reassignment will have on the larger framework of education for students with disabilities. Prior to the passage of IDEA, only one in five children with disabilities were educated in schools, and more than 1.8 million children were systemically excluded from public school in the United States.  Disabilities were seen as medical conditions to be treated and as a result, many children with disabilities were institutionalized rather than educated. We cannot risk regression to an outdated and dehumanizing perspective on disability, which prevented millions of children from accessing the inclusive public education they deserve. Our entire nation benefits when disabled people have equal access to a high-quality education that enables them to use their gifts and talents.

Additionally, the Trump administration instituted a one-month freeze on investigating discrimination complaints, an unprecedented decision even during a presidential transition. The Office for Civil Rights currently faces a backlog of 12,000 investigations, half of which involve students with disabilities. While the freeze was lifted February 20th for disability discrimination claims, we are concerned that the Department will still not have the capacity to process the backlog of 6,000 disability claims, as well as any incoming additional claims—especially considering the unjustified termination of dedicated public servants across the 12 regional divisions of the Office for Civil Rights.

While all disabled students are harmed when supports are taken away and barriers left unchecked, disabled students of color are harmed disproportionately relative to disabled white students and nondisabled students of color. Students of color are misidentified for special education – both improperly identified and improperly excluded from identification, overrepresented in restrictive placements (segregated from their nondisabled peers) and disciplined in school.  Because of cuts to the Office for Civil Rights, as well as undermining the administration of education programs such as Title I that serve low-income students (who are disproportionately of color), disabled students of color stand to suffer the greatest harms of your policy actions. The Department of Education’s irreplaceable role providing guardrails and enforcing laws has allowed progress towards the goal of equal opportunity in education. While the work is unfinished, we must move forward not backwards.

In a speech on March 3rd, you called for the elimination of “unnecessary bureaucracy” at the Department.  Yet, the Department has the smallest staff of any Cabinet-level agency while administering the third-largest discretionary budget. Prior to the recent firings, this number stood at 4,245 employees, including over 700 employees dedicated to addressing the needs of students with disabilities.  More than 1,300 employees have since been fired, in addition to over 500 employees who have opted for separation packages. Indiscriminate firings of workers who are stewards of federal dollars appropriated by Congress with the mandate of ensuring equal access to education for all students does not eliminate “bureaucracy;” it merely impedes the Department’s ability to carry out its work on behalf of children. Indeed, following the recent reduction in force, a coalition of 20 state attorneys general filed a lawsuit arguing the layoffs are so severe the Department “can no longer function, and cannot comply with its statutory requirements.”

We are also concerned about the combined efforts from the Department and the “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) to slash $900 million in education-related research and over $600 million in educator preparation grants. These cuts will negatively impact critical research into best practices to support students with disabilities who have the shared dream of graduating high school and contributing to our economy.  The cuts also result in the suspension of highly successful programs designed to address the special education teacher shortage which has been consistent over decades and negatively impacts the educational outcomes of students with disabilities. We cannot effectively serve students with disabilities or make informed policy decisions without quality information and highly qualified teachers.

It is critical that students, parents, teachers, and schools have clear and accurate guidance in response to these recent actions to ensure and affirm the right of all students with disabilities to a free and appropriate public education.

We request that you respond to the following questions by no later than April 11, 2025.

1. Please provide a complete list of all terminated grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements that impact students with disabilities.
2. Please provide the guidance developed by the Department and DOGE to determine which grants, contracts, or cooperative agreements to cancel.
3. How many Department employees have been affected by the reduction in force who conduct essential functions pertaining to serving students with disabilities?
4. How many employees impacted by the reduction in force are involved in investigating civil rights complaints? Of those employees, how many were investigating disability discrimination cases? 
5. How many employees impacted by the reduction in force are responsible for ensuring compliance with the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA)? How many employees in the Office of the General Counsel who focused on oversight of IDEA were impacted? What provisions have been made to ensure that oversight of that law continues?
6. As of January 20th, 2025, how many Department staff were employed in the Institute of Education Sciences’ National Center for Special Education Research, and how many staff have been impacted by the Department’s Reduction in Force (RIF) announced on March 11th, 2025?
7. Given the recent RIF and media reported cancellations of Institute of Education Sciences’ routine activities, what is the Department’s plan to carry out special education research, including the statutorily required scientific peer-review for research grants awarded by National Center for Special Education Research?
8. What, if any, criteria are the Department of Education using to determine which employees and divisions to cut or eliminate?
9. What is your plan to ensure that all statutory obligations to students with disabilities are properly delivered in light of recent executive actions?
10. Do you commit to the timely investigation of all disability-based discrimination complaints received by the Office for Civil Rights?
11. What evidence do you have that indicates transferring existing programs to other agencies will be more efficient and improve outcomes for students with disabilities?
12. How will the Department continue to monitor compliance with the significant disproportionality requirement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and its implementing regulation? How will cuts to OCR, OSERS, and OESE affect the Department’s ability to ensure students are protected from discrimination based on disability and race?

This letter has been endorsed by the following organizations: Access Ready Inc., American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD), American Federation of Teachers (AFT), The Arc of Delaware, The Arc of the United States, Association of People Supporting Employment First (APSE), Association of University Centers On Disabilities (AUCD), Autism Society of America, Center for Learner Equity, CommunicationFIRST, Council of Administrators of Special Education, Inc. (CASE), Council for Exceptional Children, Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates, Delaware State Education Association (DSEA), Disability Rights Education & Defense Fund (DREDF), Division for Early Childhood of the Council for Exceptional Children (DEC),Division for Learning Disabilities of the Council for Exceptional Children, Michigan Alliance for Special Education, MomsRising, Muscular Dystrophy Association, National Center for Learning Disabilities (NCLD), National Down Syndrome Society, National Education Association (NEA), New America’s Early & Elementary Education Policy Team, School Social Work Association of America (SSWAA).

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Blunt Rochester Leads 22 Colleagues in Letter to Secretary McMahon Highlighting Impact of Shuttering the Department of Education on Students with Disabilities - Senator Lisa Blunt Rochester