Trump Scrapped Funding for Special Education Teacher Education. What's the Future Hold?

In a move that has left many in the education community perplexed, the U.S. Department of Education has cancelled 25 ongoing projects related to special education, jeopardizing over $30 million worth of federally funded efforts.

The cancellations, which are unprecedented according to Larry Wexler, who oversaw Part D grants at the Education Department between 2010 and 2024, have affected projects in 14 states. Among the states affected are those that voted for the current administration in the 2024 presidential election.

The department intends to continue 464 IDEA Part D grants that have been awaiting their next round of annual funding. However, the terminated funds amount to more than the collective worth of the grants for the coming year, considering the multiple years left on some grant awards.

The reasons for the cancellations vary. Some grants were terminated because they required language that the new administration now aims to eradicate, Wexler said. For example, the Wisconsin education department received a cancellation notice for a special education teacher training program that committed to having 40 percent of job candidates come from "underrepresented and historically marginalized groups."

The department plans to redistribute the canceled funds to new grant recipients focused on training teachers to work directly with students with disabilities. Some of these grants have already received their continuation awards, while others are waiting for them, contingent on agreeing to new grant language committing to upholding the Trump administration's priorities and following existing federal civil rights laws.

The affected projects include Roughly 75 Parent Training and Information Centers, four regional centers, one national center, and several dozen Technology and Media Development initiatives. Some of the grants, primarily for Braille and interpreter training, are being cancelled along with the 25 Part D grants.

The cancellations have caused uncertainty and concern among educators. A university professor overseeing a special education master's program has had to advise potential students to hold off on enrolling due to uncertainty about federal Part D funding. The professor is also concerned that wavering enrollment numbers may lead the university to de-prioritize the program.

Organizations with canceled grants have one week to submit an appeal letter. Unfortunately, there is no information available about a person who issued a call for the retirement of 25 projects in special education at the U.S. Department of Education in summer 2023.

The onslaught of delays and uncertainty "can have a lasting effect even if we do get the funding eventually," the professor said. The department has yet to comment on the impact of these cancellations on the special education community and the students they serve.

Trump Scrapped Funding for Special Education Teacher Education. What's the Future Hold?