The Dept. of Ed. Executive Order - A Special Episode with Abe Saffer, a Senior Legislative Representative at AOTA

Yesterday, after President Trump signed the Executive Order related to the Dept. of Education, I sat down with Abe Saffer (AOTA Senior Legislative Representative) to discuss the immediate and potential long-term implications for OT practitioners and those we serve.

In this episode, we discuss the recent executive order signed by President Trump regarding the Department of Education. We also explore the implications of significant staff layoffs, the potential impact on school-based occupational therapy practitioners, and the shift of power to state education departments. The conversation also highlights AOTA's response to these changes and the financial implications of the executive order.

This episode was edited quickly to get it to you as soon as possible. We apologize for the rough audio in some sections, but we hope the content is helpful. 

References: 

• The executive order
• Navigating Change: Expert Perspectives on Recent Federal Education Actions on School-Based Practice (At AOTA Inspire) - Thursday, April 3 | 10:00 am–11:00 am
• Executive order eliminating the Department of Education (AOTA Article from Abe)
• Protecting Section 504 (AOTA Advocacy Article)

- Recorded on 3/20/2025 at 3 pm PT

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