Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services

The Department of Education Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, a civilian sub-agency within the Department of Education, administers federal funding for special education and rehabilitation services to students with disabilities and individuals seeking vocational rehabilitation. The office operates as a grant-making and service-contracting entity, with grants representing the dominant funding vehicle and contracts serving a narrower mission of legal and technical support services.

The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services has obligated $353.97 billion in federal grant dollars across 24,596 total grant awards since 1994. Recent activity has remained steady: 664 awards in 2022, 800 in 2023, 711 in 2024, 798 in 2025, and 347 so far in 2026. The most recent grant award closed on October 1, 2026. Grant assistance is dominated by Formula Grants, which account for 61 percent of awards, with Project Grants comprising the remaining 39 percent. Grant recipient concentration is highly fragmented—the top five recipients by federal dollars obligated hold only 3 percent of combined federal dollars, with the New York State Education Department and Florida Department of Education leading at $4.66 billion and $4.45 billion respectively. State departments of education and state health and human services agencies dominate the recipient base.

The sub-agency has awarded $289.2 million in combined potential value across 1,219 federal contracts since 1986, with $238.8 million obligated. Contract activity has declined substantially: 36 awards in 2022, 70 in 2023, 18 in 2024, 3 in 2025, and 1 so far in 2026. The most recent contract award recorded is September 30, 2026. Contract awards are concentrated among individual consultants and small law firms providing legal and advisory services; recent competitive concentration is highly fragmented, with the top five awardees by count holding 19 percent of recent awards. Gashel Susan R, James Ives, and Bates And Hasselback LLC are the most active awardees, each with modest dollar values ($59 thousand, $65 thousand, and $35 thousand respectively in combined potential value). Ninety-seven percent of contract awards carry no set-aside designation; small-business and 8(a) set-asides together account for 3 percent of the contract portfolio. The source reports no recent contract opportunities or grant opportunities currently open for solicitation.

OSERS provides a wide array of supports to parents and individuals, school districts and states in three main areas: special education, vocational rehabilitation and research.