4: Document contingencies.
Collaborate with team members and families to make a plan that can work across scenarios and minimize learning loss as school setting may change throughout the year.
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Balance flexibility with student need.
Per the Supplemental Fact Sheet issued by the United States Department of Education on March 21, 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, school districts should continue to provide access to a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) for all students with disabilities.
“In this unique and ever-changing environment, OCR and OSERS recognize that these exceptional circumstances may affect how all educational and related services and supports are provided, and the Department will offer flexibility where possible.”
That said, the Department reminds us that FAPE “may include, as appropriate, special education and related services provided through distance instruction provided virtually, online, or telephonically.”
With this in mind, facilitate a conversation with a student’s IEP team, including the family, to determine and document what specialized services will be most appropriate for the student during times of remote learning. Schools will need to balance flexibility provided by the Department and services that can/will be provided to ensure the child is making progress toward appropriately ambitious goals.
Create a plan for continuity of learning.
Creating a plan to maintain specialized services across a variety of settings can support the team in transitioning between them and minimizing the student’s time without access to them. In following guide, you will find:
A template for the Continuity of Learning & Support Plan
A guide for how to collaboratively develop these plans
A set of considerations for “translating” services into remote options
Several case examples to support your thinking
Continuity of Learning & Support Plan
Guide & Template
Next Steps & Resources
QUESTION: How are you collaboratively planning to maintain specialized services across settings?
ACTION: Determine what needs to be documented in order for students to have access to the support they need, no matter what school looks like. Identify the team who will be working on these plans and choose a template to apply. Then meet with families! Our best plans will be grounded in student need and our families have the frontline understanding of what students need in this season.
RESOURCE: Download the guide for developing Continuity of Learning Plans!