The Impact of the U.S. Department of Education in the Lives of People Who Are Blind, Low Vision, or Deafblind

Editors’ Note: In the current atmosphere of uncertainty and threat, it is essential for us to understand what our field and those we serve would lose if the U.S. Department of Education is dismantled or reorganized in ways that diminish its services to students who are blind, low vision, or deafblind. In this issue of TNR, we provide a guest editorial by Dr. Amy Parker in which she illustrates the impact the U.S. Department of Education has had on the education of students we serve. Through its wide array of resources, services, and materials and the interconnectivity of its divisions with local programs, the department has enriched and expanded learning opportunities for students with disabilities. It is our hope that this guest editorial will stir an awareness of the essential role that the Department plays in developing and maintaining resources and programs that our students require to become independent, contributing citizens. While the final outcome may be in the hands of the court, we encourage our readers to contact their senators and representatives to make known the need to preserve the services our students need and deserve. The next issue of TNR will include a follow-up article that details the history and evolution of the U.S. Department of Education as it relates to services for students with disabilities.