While some disability programs are spared, the budget proposal targets university centers and federal oversight mechanisms, raising concerns among advocates
NEW JERSEY –
The Trump administration’s newly released federal budget proposal for fiscal year 2026 outlines major structural changes to programs serving individuals with disabilities, including proposed eliminations and consolidations that would shift significant oversight from federal agencies to state governments.
According to the 1,224-page budget document and supplemental agency reports, the administration seeks to eliminate funding for the University Centers for Excellence in Developmental Disabilities (UCEDDs), a nationwide network of university-based programs that have operated for over 60 years. These centers provide services such as autism evaluations, early intervention programs, and community training for families, educators, and self-advocates. Every U.S. state currently hosts at least one UCEDD.
In addition to UCEDDs, the proposal calls for the elimination of a voting access program administered through protection and advocacy agencies, which helps ensure people with disabilities can participate in the electoral process.
However, several disability-focused initiatives once rumored to be eliminated are instead slated to continue with unchanged funding levels. These include:
- Developmental Disabilities Councils
- Protection and Advocacy Agencies’ core programs
- The Lifespan Respite Care Program
- The National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)
These programs will be transferred from the Administration for Community Living (ACL), which is set to be closed, to the Administration for Children, Families and Communities under the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
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In the education sector, the administration is proposing a consolidation of funding streams within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). While total funding would remain largely stable, the budget suggests merging several programs, including:
- Preschool grants under IDEA
- Parent Training and Information Centers
- Technical assistance centers
- Assistive technology and accessibility initiatives
These functions, now managed under IDEA Part D by the U.S. Department of Education, would be integrated into the state-directed IDEA Part B formula grants. This shift is intended to give states greater autonomy in allocating special education funds.
Critics of the plan warn that this restructuring would weaken federal oversight and compromise the independence of programs designed to educate families and enforce student rights. The Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) and other advocacy groups argue that state-level funding for entities like Parent Training and Information Centers could lead to conflicts of interest.
Local experts echo these concerns. Meghan Burke, a special education professor at Vanderbilt University, noted, “On the one hand, such a formula could help states tailor the funding to their specific needs. On the flip side, it removes federal oversight for special education.”
The proposed changes have drawn significant concern from national disability advocacy organizations. Kristyn Roth of the Autism Society of America emphasized that the UCEDDs’ elimination would remove vital services, training, and research that support individuals with developmental disabilities and their families. Meanwhile, Colin Killick of the Autistic Self Advocacy Network warned that the proposed budget “will mean that many of the programs our lives rely on… will be made more politicized, less resourced and less effective.”
Any proposed changes to IDEA funding structures would require Congressional approval, and lawmakers are expected to debate the provisions in the months leading up to the new fiscal year, which begins in October 2025.
For residents of Morris County, which benefits from nearby university-based disability programs and IDEA-supported services in public schools, the proposed federal cuts and reorganizations could have direct implications on local access to special education support, disability advocacy resources, and family assistance programs.
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