From the National Disability Rights Network (NDRN):
Congress Using COVID-19 to Strip Students with Disabilities of Access to Education
Republicans in Congress want to give Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos unprecedented power to strip rights from students with disabilities and those who need supports to prepare for work under the IDEA and Rehab Act.
The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act asks Secretary DeVos to provide Congress with a report of any additional waivers the Secretary believes should be enacted into law. These waivers could allow schools to opt out of providing free appropriate public education to students with disabilities in the least restrictive environment, cancel individualized education plans, remove procedural safeguards, and much more.
If Congress acts on these waivers it would systematically undermine the very tenets of IDEA and the Rehab Act. It is completely unacceptable to remove educational services from children with disabilities, while their non-disabled siblings can continue to access daily lessons at home through this crisis.
Now, more than ever, your voices matter – we must be loud, resolute, and uncompromising in the need to protect these important education rights. Send your Senators and Representative an email now! (external link to NDRN form)