AGs Bonta, Raoul, and Campbell co-led a coalition of 19 attorneys general today opposing the U.S. Department of Education’s proposal to remove certain reporting requirements related to racial and ethnic disparities in special education, including in disability identification and in suspension and expulsion rates for children with disabilities. In a comment letter, Raoul and the attorneys general urge the department to maintain opportunities for oversight and collaboration, rather than obscuring trends in the racially disproportionate identification and discipline of students with disabilities.  

“I urge the U.S. Department of Education to maintain reporting requirements that keep a national spotlight on essential data needed to address racial inequities in special education and student discipline. I will continue to push back on the department’s efforts to retreat from its obligations to ensure an equal and appropriate educational environment for all students with disabilities, regardless of race. Now more than ever, the right of students in Illinois and across the country to access quality education is at risk.” – AG Raoul