NDSC and Nation-wide Coalition Call on Administration & Congress to Protect Children with Disabilities & Reverse Layoffs

NDSC joined over 800 organizations from all 50 states in a statement urging the Administration to reverse firings that have gutted U.S. Dept. of Education.

CINCINNATI, OH, UNITED STATES, October 22, 2025 /EINPresswire.com/ -- NDSC and a Broad Nation-wide Coalition Call Upon the Administration and Congress to Protect Children with Disabilities, Reverse Layoffs, and Uphold Educational Rights and Access

The National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) joined over 800 national, state, and local organizations from all 50 states, including 65 from the Down syndrome community, in a powerful statement urging the Administration to protect children and adults with disabilities and reverse sweeping firings that have gutted key U. S. Department of Education (ED) offices serving infants, toddlers, students, and adults with disabilities. These education, disability, and civil rights organizations are actively calling on Congress to ensure the Administration protects those with disabilities and reverses the firings and apparent dismantling of ED.

Massive ED layoffs have decimated key offices—including the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), the Office for Civil Rights (OCR), the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), and the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE)—threatening decades of progress in educating and protecting students with disabilities. These are the key offices within ED that are critically important to protecting the rights of students with disabilities under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), holding states accountable for IDEA violations, and creating opportunities for postsecondary education and employment for students with disabilities.

NDSC Executive Director Jim Hudson said, “This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), a bipartisan law created to guarantee every child with a disability a free appropriate public education. Instead of celebrating 50 years of IDEA, families, students, and schools now face a crisis that jeopardizes that very promise.”

Stephanie Smith Lee, NDSC Policy & Advocacy Co-Director stated, “As a leader in this effort, NDSC stands united with students, families, teachers, and organizations across the country urging the Administration to protect children with disabilities and immediately restore staffing at the Department of Education — and calling on Congress to ensure this happens.”

NDSC is nationally known for its strong policy and advocacy work as well as its highly effective grassroots advocacy program, the National Down Syndrome Advocacy Coalition (NDAC), which has over 1,100 advocates from across the country who have been urged to reach out to their Members of Congress about this issue. An NDSC brief clarifies why ED is important to students with disabilities, and this FAQ explains what the recent firings at ED mean for students with disabilities, families, teachers, and schools.

About the National Down Syndrome Congress

The National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to an improved world for individuals with Down syndrome. Founded in 1973, the NDSC is a leading national resource of support and information for anyone touched by or seeking to learn about Down syndrome, from the moment of a prenatal diagnosis through adulthood. The purpose of the NDSC is to promote the interests of people with Down syndrome and their families through advocacy, public awareness, and information, empowering individuals and families from all demographic backgrounds and reshaping the way people understand and experience Down syndrome. The National Down Syndrome Congress is dedicated to an improved world for individuals with Down syndrome.

For more information on the NDSC, check out our website or follow us on social media.

"FAQ" https://ndsccenter.org/file_download/inline/cad1002d-49d1-4c31-a16a-ffd22afd9913

Stephanie Smith Lee
National Down Syndrome Congress
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