Many educators have concerns regarding support for students with disabilities in light of COVID-19 school closures and the transition to remote learning. On March 21, the U.S. Department of Education (ED) released new supplemental guidance to help address some of these issues. This builds on the initial questions and answers distributed on March 12.
ED says it will offer guidance, technical assistance and information on any applicable flexibility, and specifically noted that compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) should not prevent any school from offering distance learning education. While ED acknowledges that there is no uniform approach to providing online/distance learning to students with disabilities, districts should feel encouraged to pursue innovative ideas to meet the needs of these students. The guidance goes on to outline some possible solutions, such as utilizing phone consultations or providing information in multiple forms.
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) within ED has also provided information on how IDEA timelines can be extended, including under both Part B and Part C of IDEA. Timeline adjustments may apply to areas such as State complaints, due process hearings, individual education programs and eligibility determination/individual family service plans. For all questions pertaining to Part B of IDEA, please visit ncsi.wested.org and for questions regarding Part C, please visit ectacenter.org.
In addition, the National Center for Learning Disabilities has released two new resources to help parents and educators support students during the COVID-19 crisis.
For the latest coronavirus-related CTE policy updates, visit ACTE’s blog post on the topic, which will be constantly updated throughout the pandemic.
Comments