Two top officials in a beleaguered District of Columbia special education program have been relieved of their duties and could face firing after a deluge of negative publicity about the treatment of some of D.C.’s most vulnerable children, education sources said Wednesday.

Ruth Blake, the executive director of the nonpublic tuition program, and Rexie Yancey, the interim executive director of the student hearing office, have both been placed on administrative leave, with pay, the sources said.