By Aurora Dreger

The federal landscape of special education and civil rights enforcement is experiencing an unprecedented structural shift. At the Educating All Learners Alliance (EALA), we believe that policy changes are best understood through the lived experiences and expertise of the individuals navigating them on the ground.

In this installment of our Voices from the Field series, we spoke with Lisa Mosko Barros, founder and CEO of SpEducational. As a parent and leader of an education nonprofit, Barros offers an essential perspective on how moving special education and civil rights oversight out of the Department of Education affects the daily realities of families of students with learning differences.

Context: In 2026, federal oversight shifted when the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) transitioned to the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) moved to the Department of Justice (DOJ). This ongoing interview series explores the real-world impact, systemic challenges, and community opportunities stemming from these structural moves.

Aurora Dreger (EALA): What does this agency transfer mean for your family’s daily reality and expectations for your child’s education?

Lisa Mosko Barros: This isn’t abstract for me. I’m a parent of a child with an IEP, in addition to running SpEducational and working with families [in the same situation] every day. This transfer changes who I, and every parent like me, can call when something goes wrong. Right now, if a district fails to deliver services or misses a legal deadline, there’s a clear line of federal accountability through the Office of Special Education Programs. Splitting that expertise off to HHS, while the Department of Education keeps the legal responsibility, creates confusion at exactly the moment families can least afford it.

What this means is that we have to be more vigilant and organized than ever–  tracking our children’s IEP timelines ourselves, documenting every communication, and connecting with other families and coalitions so no one navigates this alone.

EALA: What are your primary hopes or fears regarding how schools might view or support students with disabilities moving forward? Barros: My fear is that without steady federal funding and strong, consistent oversight, schools already stretched thin on staffing and resources will quietly deprioritize inclusion and fully meet students’ needs.This isn’t necessarily out of ill intent, but because accountability becomes diffuse when responsibility is split across agencies and funding is scarce. As both a parent and an advocate, my hope is that families don’t have to fight harder just to keep the ground they’ve already gained.

EALA: What can the education community or local schools do right now to make sure you feel supported and heard?

Barros: Show up and communicate proactively — don’t wait for parents to ask. Right now, most families don’t hear anything from their district when federal policy shifts. In our survey of 342 families across 35 Los Angeles County districts, 93% told us they’d received no communication about how federal changes affect their child’s services. Schools can change that immediately, without waiting for any federal guidance, just by building a habit of telling families what’s happening and what it means for their child.

Beyond communication, treat parents as genuine partners at the IEP table, not just participants to be informed after decisions are made. Bring us in early when something is changing. Ask what we’re seeing at home. Our lived experience is data too, and right now it’s an underused resource.

And practically, connect with the coalitions and organizations already doing this work. SpEducational exists specifically to help families organize and make sure our voices reach decision-makers — schools and districts that build real relationships with organizations like ours, rather than treating advocacy groups as adversaries, are the ones that will keep trust with families through this transition.

Showing the Path to Possible

At EALA, we remain steadfast in our commitment to non-partisan resource sharing, community collaboration, and amplifying the bright spots and vital perspectives within our network. A special thank you to Lisa Mosko Barros and the team at SpEducational for sharing their time and vital insights for this series.

What is your transition story? Every voice matters as we navigate this new chapter together. If you are a parent, practitioner, student, or advocate with thoughts, hopes, or questions regarding the OSERS and OCR structural moves, we want to hear from you.