Federal civil rights office cuts slow disability complaints

Across the United States, families seeking help when schools fail students with disabilities face a smaller and less responsive federal civil rights office. The Education Department’s Office for Civil Rights has dismissed thousands of complaints without investigating, while some parents have received no confirmation or later updates about their cases.

The office once offered families a free federal path after discussions with teachers, principals, district leaders and state officials did not resolve a dispute. In Texas, Liz Piñón filed a complaint in 2024 after she said her daughter, who uses a power wheelchair, was not given accommodations to join her middle school’s cheerleading team. The complaint was rejected in July 2024, but Piñón said the process still gave her information and a place to seek guidance.

The department cut nearly half of its roughly 4,000 workers in March 2025. The reductions included an estimated 299 of 575 civil rights staff positions. Some employees later returned after legal challenges, but seven regional branches—including San Francisco—closed permanently. In June, the department said the Justice Department would take on a larger role in civil rights investigations, raising concerns among advocates about oversight for students with disabilities.