Kelly Rogers told employees Wednesday that she is resigning from her post overseeing special education at the U.S. Education Department as the agency is in the midst of upheaval and downsizing.
Rogers, who has been overseeing the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) since May, announced her departure less than a day before much of her staff were scheduled to move to the Department of Health and Human Services building in Washington D.C., according to internal emails reviewed by NPR. She was supposed to continue overseeing those staff from her perch at the Education Department. Now, it is unclear who will serve in the role after she leaves on Sept. 11.
One of the main things OSERS does is support states and schools with programs for people with disabilities, including the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). It also manages about $15 billion in federal funding supporting students with disabilities.
The move of special education offices to HHS is part of the Trump administration's historic actions to dismantle the Education Department altogether.