Jake Cornett, CEO and executive director of Disability Rights Oregon, said the 2026 federal budget eliminates $677 million for special ed preschool and teacher training, and states are not able to fill in those gaps.
“Picture a working parent arriving at a school to drop off their child who needs some specialized staff to do things like safely eat lunch,” said Cornett. “And they’re getting greeted with a question of supports being suspended and how they’re going to make do.”
The Trump administration froze nearly $7 billion in national school funding in June, forcing districts to cut services like summer programs. That funding, including $74 million for Oregon, was released following a lawsuit by Oregon and other states.
Another major blow to special education students, said Cornett, is the Trump administration’s decision to lay off half the staff at the federal Office for Civil Rights.
He said the office receives thousands of complaints each year, and more than a third are about disability-related discrimination in schools.
Cornett said the layoffs mean investigations of abuse, neglect or bullying on the basis of disability are not happening.
“That means that kids are not getting resolution in a way that provides them equal access to education,” said Cornett, “which is what every kid in America is entitled to.”
Cornett added that Oregon lawmakers missed opportunities to increase state support for high-need students this legislative session, a group that is often left under-funded.
