Visionary Solutions Newsletter #1
- michaelbeattie8
- Jul 10
- 2 min read
Trump further guts Education Dept. by shifting oversight of special ed, civil rights, (NPR, June 16th, 2026)
On Tuesday June 16th, The Trump Administration announced that it will rearrange two of the Department of Education’s responsibilities into two different federal agencies. The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) will move to the U.S Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the responsibilities of The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) will go to the U.S Department of Justice (DOJ). OSERS played a key role in overlooking and supporting students with both mental and physical disabilities, making sure they get proper public education under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act made in 1990. OCR in turn was in charge of protecting students from discrimination in schools based off disability, gender, race, and national origin.
Education Secretary Linda McMahon stated that the partnerships will quote “strengthen academic outcomes” and “ensure more coordinated civil rights enforcement.” Still, this move is considered controversial, many stating that the rearrangement serves as another attempt to dismantle The Department of Education by giving it less responsibility and cutting funds for programs. Disability advocates like Chad Rummel, CEO of the Council for Exceptional Children, are worried that the rearrangement will make officials care more about treating disabled students medically than actually allowing them to have an education. Rummel says quote “We need to have special education interacting with all of education at the department, not over here on its own in the medical environment.”
Read full story here: https://www.npr.org/2026/06/16/nx-s1-5717030/special-ed-civil-rights-education-department
Illinois Creates New Department Focused on Disability Rights, (Newsbreak, June 18th, 2026)
On Wednesday June 17th, Illinois Governor JB Pritzker signed into law House Bill 862, which would officially create the Illinois Department of Disability Advocacy and Guardianship (IDAG). The new department will be cabinet-level and will work alongside the already-existing Illinois Guardianship and Advocacy Commission. The purpose of IDAG will be to offer assistance and services to disabled Illinois civilians who have no suitable guardian to help them. Alongside that, the new agency will look into any complaints and/or violations submitted by disabled civilians, with solutions ranging from civil right protections to major accessibility changes to the cities.
The legislation of the new law was met with deep praise and celebration; advocates like Kimberly Mercer-Schleider, Director of the Illinois Council on Developmental Disabilities, claimed that “Elevating this mission to a full department sends a clear message that Illinois is serious about protecting the people who depend on these services the most.” IDAG is scheduled to begin operations starting July 1st, 2027.
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