What Next | Daily News and Analysis Is Special Ed Getting Left Behind?
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Nov 10, 2025 In this insightful discussion, Pepper Stetler, an author and professor at Miami University, delves into the intricate history and current landscape of special education. She highlights the crucial changes brought about by the 1975 law and the challenges of implementing the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Pepper also addresses recent policy shifts, federal oversight issues, and the looming threats to funding and support. The implications for the inclusion and civil rights of children with disabilities raise urgent questions about the future of education for this vulnerable population.
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Education Shift After 1975
- Before 1975 many children with disabilities were excluded from public schools or institutionalized instead of educated.
- The 1975 law (later IDEA) changed that by mandating free, appropriate public education for all eligible children.
Shutdown's Immediate Impact On Oversight
- Reduction-in-force notices went to hundreds of Department of Education employees, including over a hundred special education staff, during the shutdown.
- A court paused the firings, but parents still felt abandoned without active federal oversight.
A Daughter's Experience In Schools
- Pepper Stetler has a 13-year-old daughter, Louisa, who has Down syndrome and attends mainstream classes with supports.
- She imagines that before IDEA her daughter's life and schooling would have been bleak and limited.
