US Education Department to investigate DC schools’ treatment of disabled students
The announcement of the DCPS investigation comes as President Donald Trump is expected to issue an executive order as early as Thursday to shut down the entire Education Department
By Andrea Swalec • Published March 6, 2025 • Updated on March 6, 2025 at 7:23 pm
The U.S. Department of Education will investigate DC Public Schools to evaluate if the district is failing to meet the needs of students with disabilities and special needs, the department announced Wednesday.
The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights sent a letter to DCPS Chancellor Lewis Ferebee notifying him of the investigation, a statement from the department said.
“The Department of Education has a solemn responsibility to protect all students from discrimination, especially our most vulnerable,” U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon said in the statement. “We will ensure schools are fulfilling their commitment to provide all students with equal access to educational opportunities and not placing unnecessary burdens on families to fight for special education services for their children to which they are entitled under law.”
The department said an advisory committee found DCPS had “more complaints per 10,000 students in the special education area than any other state or territory in the U.S.” and that the dispute resolution system “places the burden of accessing special education services on students and their families.”
The announcement of the investigation comes as President Donald Trump is expected to issue an executive order as early as Thursday to shut down the entire Education Department. McMahon was confirmed by the Senate on Monday and told employees their “final mission” is to cut federal spending and hand over authorities to states.
DCPS told News4 in a statement: “DC Public Schools (DCPS) is committed to providing high-quality education and support to all students, including those receiving special education services. We have made significant investments to strengthen our special education programs, expand inclusive learning opportunities, and engage families as partners in their children’s success.
The district will fully cooperate with the Office for Civil Rights’ (OCR) review and remains dedicated to continuously improving our special education programs and reducing barriers for families. We stand by our ongoing efforts to ensure that all students have access to the resources they need to thrive. For students eligible to receive transportation services from the DC Office of the State Superintendent of Education (OSSE), DCPS will continue to partner with OSSE as their Department of Transportation works to meet the related services requirements in accordance with the law.”
The News4 I-Team recently found nearly 1,000 Office for Civil Rights cases remain open in D.C., Maryland and Virginia.
“Every single one of the cases that comes into the office represents a family’s deepest hurts,” said Catherine Lhamon, who served as assistant secretary overseeing civil rights at the Education Department under the Obama and Biden administrations.