What civil rights enforcement cuts mean for students with disabilities – fewer staff, closed offices, longer waits
Filing a civil rights complaint with the Office of Civil Rights can be parents’ last stop. Following cuts and restructuring, this federal office is no longer serving that same resource.
The Department of Education has undergone significant changes since 2025, including the closure of regional offices of its Office for Civil Rights. Felicita Piñón, an eighth-grade student with cerebral palsy and learning challenges, is one of many who has benefited from the OCR's oversight. Despite her disability, Felicita has testified against a school voucher bill at the Texas Capitol.
However, when she wanted to join a cheerleading team at her Crowley, Texas middle school, the school allegedly refused to make accommodations, leading her mother to file a complaint with the OCR. The OCR's budget and workforce cuts have led to the closure of regional offices and the dismissal of thousands of complaints without investigation.
Parents are now unsure whether they can rely on the OCR for support when schools and districts fall short of meeting federal disability standards.
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