Overview
- U.S. District Judge Susan Illston issued a temporary injunction stopping the administration from issuing or enforcing reduction‑in‑force notices during the shutdown.
- The Oct. 10 notices affected about 466 Education Department employees, with the Office of Special Education Programs pared to only a handful of staff before the court’s order.
- Secretary Linda McMahon says schools are operating, asserts no education funding is affected including IDEA, and maintains that responsibilities should shift back to states.
- States drew IDEA funds on Oct. 1, but advocates and officials question who will monitor compliance and manage grants with federal oversight capacity so diminished.
- The administration is expected to appeal as operations remain strained by furloughs of roughly 95% of non‑Federal Student Aid staff and earlier civil‑rights office closures.