Protecting Students with Disabilities Act

This bill is meant to protect special education services run by the U.S. Department of Education. It says federal money cannot be used to shut down, merge, or reorganize the offices that run or enforce programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), which supports services for children with disabilities. It also blocks moving staff out of these roles or changing their duties, and it stops the Department from outsourcing these responsibilities to outside groups.

In short, it keeps the federal special education offices in place and focused on their current work, so students with disabilities continue receiving services under IDEA without disruption.

Key points:

• Who is affected: Students with disabilities, their families, schools, and Department of Education staff who run IDEA programs.
• What changes: No federal funds can be used to eliminate, consolidate, or restructure the offices that administer or enforce IDEA; staff can’t be reassigned or have duties changed to weaken these services; no outsourcing these functions outside the Department.
• When: Takes effect upon enactment and applies to how appropriated federal funds may be used.