Advocates fear for future of special education programs funded by US government
While the department has sustained cuts in staff and funding, advocates for special education programs are left questioning what this means for Individualized Education Programs, or IEPs, that were funded by the department.
While IEPs are protected under the Individuals with Disabilities Act, the Department of Education was responsible for overseeing, monitoring, and providing funding to schools for them. Knox County Schools told 6 News their commitment to serving students with IEPs remains the same, advocates for the program say they are concerned for its future under the federal government.
End of USDA funding for fresh local produce hits Grainger County Schools
'We have an obligation to make sure that students have IEPs, that their IEPs are being followed, and we also have an obligation to make sure that the state and federal government are funding those programs and providing what they, by law, are required to provide to us,' said Knox County Board of Education member Katherine Bike.
Bike said if federal funding for special education programs were to be reduced or taken away, the school district would not be able to financially support them on their own.
'With student supports and interventions, those cost money,' she said. 'Knox County alone cannot afford to pay those. They are hundreds of thousands of dollars and when you put it all together with students, it's millions of dollars.'
According to Knox County Schools, 9,000 students benefit from some form of special education support each year. As a parent of two of those students, Cortney Piper, who is also a political contributor to WATE, said she is worried for her children's future.
'The uncertainty is almost crippling and it is very scary,' said Piper.
US agency targeted for elimination provided vital funding to Beck Center, Zoo Knoxville
Piper said two of her children benefit from IEPs and may not have gotten to where they are today in the classroom without them.
'I have seen an incredible, incredible progress, particularly with my son from kindergarten to where he is in second grade,' she said. 'Because he is receiving those supports and services, I've been able to see him progress in Knox County Schools. So, in addition to providing those academic support, those individualized education programs also provide support that helps children learn how to learn.'
While the future of IEPs remains uncertain, Piper and board member Bike are urging the community to advocate for the program.
'I think it is important for everyone. Not just saying, 'well, the school will take a take care of it,' or, 'well, a school board member will take care of it.' But we really have to be diligent. Everyone has to be diligent in making sure that the standards are kept where they're at,' said Bike.
▶ See more top stories on WATE.com
In 2023 the Knox County Schools Board of Education passed a resolution to make KCS a model district for excellence in special education. Bikes told 6 News IEPs play a large role in making that happen, and she has prepared another resolution to be heard this April outlining what they are committed to do under state and federal law.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
3 hours ago
- USA Today
Senate confirms Trump's pick to oversee higher ed, a man tied to for-profit colleges
The Senate confirmed President Donald Trump's pick to oversee higher education policy, a man with deep ties to the for-profit college industry, by a 50-to-45 vote on August 1. Senate Majority John Thune filed cloture on Kent's nomination earlier in the week. And the education committee had already advanced Kent on a 12-11 vote without a hearing in late May. The undersecretary at the Department of Education oversees billions in federal financial aid and is charged with ensuring America's colleges provide a quality education. Education Secretary Linda McMahon had previously told USA TODAY that Kent is a 'natural leader' whose experience and concern for students 'make him the ideal selection for under secretary of education." He had won the support of several prominent university trade groups who are opposed to Trump's attacks on universities, but said they supported Kent's nomination. His confirmation comes as the Trump administration seeks to reshape higher education and has launched numerous investigations into high profile universities. Kent had already been working at the agency on the administration's initiatives like K-12 school choice. But prior to working in the government, Kent had a long history working for or close to for-profit colleges. From 2008 to the end of 2015, Kent worked for Education Affiliates, a for-profit college company. When he left, he was a vice president of legislative and regulatory affairs. In 2015, the Department of Justice announced the company had agreed to a $13 million settlement to settle accusations it had gamed the federal financial aid system. The company told USA TODAY Kent was not involved in the settlement or the allegations of fraud. Critics, including student advocacy groups and teacher unions, had called on the Senate education committee to put Kent through a public hearing to answer questions about his time working for the company. And one of the original whistleblowers tied to that case, Dorothy Thomas, expressed concern about someone from the company's leadership holding the under secretary position. Kent had also worked for Career Education Colleges and Universities, a for-profit college trade group. He developed a reputation for deep policy knowledge while speaking against regulations geared toward the for-profit college industry. That group's CEO, Jason Altmire, said Kent was not driven by partisan politics and would bring an unbiased view to the under secretary position. He then went to work for Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin's administration as a deputy secretary of education. Youngkin, in a prepared statement, said Kent improved how Virginia manages colleges and made them more accountable to students and families through increased transparency. Chair of the Virginia Senate's education committee, Democrat Ghazala Hashmi, told USA TODAY Kent had tried to destabilize accreditation in the state and he was aligned with efforts to dismantle consumer protections. In a departing message to the commonwealth, Kent said he was proud of reducing costs while pushing for free speech and accountability at Virginia's colleges. Chris Quintana is an investigative reporter at USA TODAY. He can be reached at cquintana@ or via Signal at 202-308-9021. He is on X at @CQuintanaDC
Time Magazine
11 hours ago
- Time Magazine
Oklahoma to Roll Out 'America First' Test for New Teachers
Oklahoma's education department has announced plans to introduce an 'America First' certification test to ensure that teachers moving from liberal states align with its values. "One of the things that we wanted to do is, first of all, make sure that they're great teachers, right? And No. 2, make sure we're not getting these woke, indoctrinating social justice warriors in the classroom," the state's Superintendent Ryan Walters said in an interview with Fox Digital. Walters said that every teacher moving to work in Oklahoma must pass the test in order to begin teaching, and that Conservative think-tank PragerU will assist in the development of the test. 'We put the Bible back in our history standards," Walters said, adding that the 'America First' test would include questions based on American history and 'common sense.' Walters said the teaching of gender identity in other states was one motivation for the test, which will roll out in time for the upcoming school year. 'We started seeing states like California, New York, Maine as well, that are putting out directives… saying 'In this state you've got to teach your 27 genders',' he said. California state law requires students to be taught about 'gender, gender expression, gender identity, and explore the harm of negative gender stereotypes… schools must teach about all sexual orientations and what being LGBTQ means,' the state's Department of Education says. None of the Education Departments in California, New York, and Maine make reference to teaching students about 27 genders. Maine has pushed back against President Donald Trump's directive to ban transgender athletes from competing in girls' sports. At the start of his second term in office, Trump issued an executive order saying that there are only two recognized genders. 'We love President Trump in Oklahoma,' Walters said, adding that the MAGA agenda is 'saving education.' Walter also claimed teachers coming into Oklahoma were "fleeing the teachers unions, the grip that they've had on them in these blue states.' In 2023, Walters announced a maximum $50,000 bonus for teachers moving to the state with more than 5 years of experience, and for those in the top ten percentile in the United States. Smaller bonuses were offered depending on length of experience and what districts teachers had previously worked in. A spokesperson for PragerU said: 'We fully understand why superintendents of education, like Ryan Walters, feel compelled to protect their students from the extreme left-wing ideologies being promoted in schools through teachers who often do not even realize the damage caused.'
Yahoo
14 hours ago
- Yahoo
Republican's Town Hall Blows Up in His Face as He's Showered in Boos
In March, GOP leadership discouraged its lawmakers from holding in-person town halls amid mounting backlash to the Trump administration. Representative Bryan Steil of Wisconsin was the first Republican in the state to disobey this directive. After constituents held weekly protests outside his office , urging him to hold an in-person event, Steil finally relented with what his office called a 'listening session.' After months of virtual-only town halls, there was lots of listening to do. Steil entered the Elkhorn High School auditorium on Thursday to resounding boos, and faced a raucous crowd for the duration of the 80-minute session, including fierce questions on his support of Trump's agenda, as well as frequent interruptions, chants, and jeering. Attendees were evidently fired up over Steil's support of Trump's budget, poised to tilt taxes in favor of the rich while tattering the social safety net. Steil defended his vote on the bill, which is also estimated to balloon the national debt by trillions of dollars. (When the lawmaker mentioned national debt as a pressing issue, one attendee interjected: 'Thanks to you!') He also voiced his support of Trump's controversial immigration policies—a topic which elicited 'some of the loudest boos,' according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. More than one person in attendance referred to the Florida immigrant detention camp callously dubbed 'Alligator Alcatraz' as a concentration camp, which Steil objected to. A constituent noted that 'the difference between a prison or a detention center and a concentration camp is due process.' Steil also had to address Trump's tariffs (which one attendee called 'a terrible tax that's going to be placed on the citizens of the United States'), as well as Trump's push to all but abolish the Department of Education ('Education is best resolved at the local level,' Steil said). Many questions Steil faced reflected a widespread perception that Steil is in Trump's pocket. One attendee said, 'Southeast Wisconsin has not been represented by you. President Trump seems to run Southeast Wisconsin through you.' Another made similar remarks in the context of immigration. 'What I see happening to our immigrant population embarrasses me—horrifies me,' she said. 'You have not raised a voice to complain about it. Where do I see your leadership? I see no leadership—I see you following Trump 100 percent of the time.' In response to this latter question, Steil, ironically, 'lauded Trump's executive orders and deportations,' Wisconsin Public Radio reports. At another point in the meeting, though, he insisted that he doesn't 'always line up' with GOP leadership. He has somewhat of a point there, as holding the town hall at all certainly went against his party leadership's advice. While resolute on enacting the more destructive elements of the president's agenda, at least Steil eventually proved willing to hear his constituents' concerns face-to-face. It's more than can be said for many other Republicans in Congress. As one of Steil's critics in the crowd told him: 'I applaud you for standing up here and taking it.'
