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Judge Halts Federal Layoffs After Education Department’s Special Education and Civil-Rights Staff Were Slashed

The court order follows an effective emptying of key disability and civil-rights offices, leaving federal oversight without a defined handoff.

Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, votes while her son, Ben, casts his vote next to her as he sits in his wheelchair at the Newfields Town Hall Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
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Overview

  • On Oct. 10 the administration issued reduction‑in‑force notices to about 4,200 federal workers, including 466 at the Education Department, and most OSERS/OSEP and many OCR staff were laid off before the pause.
  • U.S. District Judge Susan Illston in Northern California temporarily blocked the latest layoffs, with a hearing scheduled for Oct. 28 to consider a longer halt.
  • Education Secretary Linda McMahon said agencies must reassess “truly critical” duties, called the department “unnecessary,” and said program funding remains intact.
  • Advocates and state leaders warn IDEA enforcement and complaint intake have stalled, with OCR’s case backlog reported to have grown to more than 25,000, over half involving special education.
  • Officials have discussed moving special education responsibilities to Health and Human Services, but no congressional authorization or operational transfer has been put in place.