A stated goal of the Trump administration is to dismantle the federal Department of Education. During the latest government shutdown, the administration announced the firing of dozens of employees in the Office of Special Education Programs — though as of last week, a federal judge had put those firings on hold. OSEP is a key office that provides oversight to make sure school districts are meeting the requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).
“Tennessee’s educators working with special needs children will no longer be monitored by the federal government — monitoring that helps states comply with the special education law,” says Dr. Douglas Fuchs, professor of special education at Vanderbilt University.Â
That lack of oversight means parents will have one less avenue to hold districts accountable when they believe a school has violated IDEA. The special education law requires that certain procedures and safeguards be put in place for students with disabilities, including how a student’s individualized education program is developed and a variety of rights that parents have throughout that process. While the state of Tennessee manages the complaint process, it can be especially challenging to navigate for parents who are new to the IEP process. This is why parents often look to special education advocates to help them during the process.Â
“Special education advocates have historically played a most important role in helping ensure that students with disabilities get the education they need and deserve,” Fuchs tells the Scene. “Advocates, often working collaboratively with educators, help to keep educators’ eye on the ball. This is important because it is sometimes difficult for well-meaning but overtaxed and under-resourced educators to keep their responsibilities to students with disabilities in mind.”
Upcoming session could include policy on state testing, teacher evaluations, school calendars and career/technical education
In Middle Tennessee, recent stories over the past few years show the need for this kind of support. Early this year, an appeals court ruled that the Clarksville-Montgomery County School System must provide almost 900 hours of specialized reading support for a disabled student who graduated high school without the ability to read. Last year, parents of a student in Williamson County alleged, among other things, that the school district refused to hold timely IEP meetings. Timely meetings are a requirement under IDEA.
When Kate Cortelyou’s autistic son received an IEP nine years ago, she was surprised by how difficult the experience was.
“It was, to be honest, a terrible experience,” says Cortelyou. “I went into those early meetings assuming I’d be treated with respect and that the staff would be honest and compassionate. That wasn’t the case.”
Cortelyou says she experienced condescension and hurtful comments from Metro Nashville Public Schools during the process. She also experienced what she thought were blatant violations. That spurred her into action — she completed advocacy training and studied materials provided by OSEP. The loss of staff at OSEP means that, according to Fuchs, “building-based practitioners will no longer be able to rely on technical assistance, or guidance, that OSEP has provided when teachers are trying to instruct or otherwise support students with disabilities.”
Without that guidance, parents may need to rely more on advocates who have a strong grasp of the laws and procedures. Cortelyou turned her personal experience into a career as a special education advocate, working with families to help guide them through the special education process. She now runs her own special education advocacy firm.Â
“My first job is to understand the law and rights it guarantees,” Cortelyou says. She hopes to bridge the gap between parents who are navigating a complicated special education system and the school district, which may be underfunded. The lack of background knowledge on special education can be challenging for parents, as teachers and administrators often talk in jargon and acronyms, assuming the parents have the same knowledge. Parents often use an advocate as a translator of sorts to fully understand what is happening.
When parents bring an advocate to an IEP meeting, it’s often seen by the school system as an act of escalation rather than a parent simply needing the support. For example, the aforementioned Williamson County family alleged that their rights were violated after the school system canceled an IEP meeting simply because the family came to a meeting with an advocate.
“It’s important to recognize that when parents push for services, ask questions or hire an advocate, it doesn’t make them difficult,” says Cortelyou.Â
Cortelyou has started to provide special education commentary via her TikTok account, @KateCortelyou. She joined TikTok after a video she posted on Instagram — in which she tells her autistic son that she was also diagnosed as autistic — went viral and was featured on Good Morning America. Her TikTok account has grown to nearly 20,000 followers, with her videos gaining millions of views. Parents and teachers often report getting special education information through social media, saying they’re not receiving the information they need during IEP meetings.Â
Cortelyou wants parents to know it’s OK to ask questions.
“Asking questions, seeking support, and ensuring your child receives what they need is not being difficult,” she says. “It’s being a responsible, engaged parent.”
Parents of children with IEPs should receive what’s known as a notice of procedural safeguards during any official special education meeting. That document provides resources, including information on how to file complaints and how to find advocacy and legal services. Nonprofits such as Support and Training for Exceptional Parents, Disability Rights TN, and The Arc Tennessee have great resources for parents of children with disabilities.Â
Zack Barnes, Ph.D., is an associate professor of literacy at Austin Peay State University, where he researches executive function and reading development. Before APSU, he spent five years as a special education teacher in MNPS.
