Center on Disability opposes the transfer of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ)
June 25, 2026
The Center on Disability opposes the U.S. Department of Education’s announced plan to transfer the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ).
For decades, OSERS and OCR have played a critical role in protecting the rights of students with disabilities and ensuring access to education, employment, and community participation. Moving these offices outside the Department of Education threatens the accountability and enforcement of key disability rights laws, primarily the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
Disability is not a medical condition to be managed, it is a natural part of human diversity. Students with disabilities have the right to learn, belong, and succeed in their schools and communities. Keeping OSERS and OCR within the Department of Education helps ensure these rights are protected.
The Center on Disability urges Congress to preserve these offices within the Department of Education and maintain the systems that students with disabilities, families, educators, and communities rely on to uphold educational access and civil rights.
Learn more about why protecting IDEA and the U.S. Department of Education is essential for students with disabilities
How you can help:
Find your congressional representatives
Once you know who your representatives are, you can email them or call their offices and say: “My name is [your name]. I am from [your town]. Please keep OSERS and OCR in the Department of Education to protect the rights of students with disabilities.”]. Please keep OSERS and OCR in the Department of Education to protect the rights of students with disabilities.”