Sponsors (40)
Blocks use of appropriated funds to restructure, reassign staff, or outsource Department of Education offices that administer or enforce IDEA programs and reaffirms OSEP's placement within ED.
The bill preserves continuity, rights, and federal accountability for special education by keeping IDEA oversight and staff within the Department of Education, at the cost of reducing DOE flexibility to reorganize, contract out, or pursue potential efficiency and modernization gains.
Students with disabilities and families keep dedicated Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) oversight inside the Department of Education, preserving continuity of IDEA protections and services.
Keeps IDEA administration under federal (Congress/DOE) control and prevents outsourcing, preserving federal accountability and consistent enforcement across states.
Maintains existing, experienced DOE staff assignments for IDEA enforcement, reducing disruption in dispute resolution and technical assistance to schools.
Limits the Department of Education's and Executive Branch's ability to reorganize or modernize IDEA administration, which could forgo efficiency gains and cost savings for taxpayers.
Restricts DOE flexibility to reassign staff or change roles, potentially hampering workforce management and responsiveness to changing program needs.
Bars contracting out administration/enforcement of IDEA, which may prevent using external expertise or state-level partnerships that could improve service delivery in some areas.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Official title: To prohibit the use of appropriated funds to eliminate, consolidate, or otherwise restructure any office within the Department of Education that administers or enforces programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and for other purposes.
Introduced March 25, 2025 by John W. Mannion · Last progress March 25, 2025
Prohibits using federal appropriations to eliminate, consolidate, restructure, or outsource any Department of Education office that administers or enforces programs under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It also bars removing or reassigning personnel or delegating IDEA administration or enforcement to entities outside the Department using appropriated funds, and reaffirms that OSEP sits within the Department of Education under existing statute. The law is procedural and narrowly focused: it preserves the current departmental structure, staffing assignments, and in-house administration of IDEA programs by restricting how appropriated funds may be used to change those functions.