It’s been 50 years since the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) was signed into law, and the milestone comes at a time when parents and activists are concerned about funding cuts for services.
Rallies were planned outside multiple congressional offices Friday to call for more adequate funding for special education services and to protest cuts and the dismantling of the Department of Education.
A rally held Friday at U.S. Rep. Tim Moore’s office in Cornelius called for continued support. About two dozen people held signs out in the frigid air. Some went inside to officially commemorate IDEA’s anniversary with cupcakes, coffee and a singing of Happy Birthday.
Moore’s office was empty, but they taped a pledge they hope he’ll sign to the door. The pledge calls on Moore to advocate for fully funding the act, keeping it housed at the Department of Education and resisting cuts to services for students with disabilities.
Kyle Queen, the group Public Schools Strong in Mecklenburg County, said they contacted Moore ahead of the event to invite him to participate, but never got a response. Moore’s office didn’t immediately respond to WFAE’s request for comment. She said the IDEA was historic and “pivotal.”
“In the past, the kids that couldn't function well inside of a regular classroom were excluded from that,” Queen said. “And I just remember nobody was in a wheelchair. Nobody had any kind of tutoring or any kind of special services when I was in school. And it's now that there is the requirement that these children receive services to help them as well have a free, appropriate education.”
Roxanna DeShong-Myrie is a parent to two students with disabilities. She said IDEA is crucial to her children's education, and she’s concerned about its future, noting her family already pays out of pocket for tutoring services.
“This is very emotional for me, because my husband and I, we're not rich,” she said. “A lot of these programs for autistic children cost a lot of money, and at least we could have the services that are in the school to help with their journey to getting an education.”
The act guaranteed children with disabilities access to free special education. But advocates say it’s been underfunded. The act committed Congress to paying 40% of the per-pupil cost for special education services. But the National Education Association estimates the federal share is now around 12%.
While the Trump administration has promised to maintain funding for special education, it’s also working to dismantle the Department of Education, which administers that funding and ensures compliance with the law. Other funding changes, like cuts to grants and proposals to change how the funding is administered, have raised alarm bells for special education advocates.
