OSEP Guidance: September 28, 2020

The original guidance is here. The DLC Team has summarized the main points here.

Fact Sheet: Addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Schools While Protecting the Civil Rights of Students

This document provides guidance and explanations for school leaders around preventing discriminiation in schools in the context of COVID-19. It reviews how schools should respond to situations of discrimination regarding bullying, racial or ethnic discrimination, and disability discrimination when providing educational services. The document also provides resources around communicating information about coronavirus to students and families. (US Department of Education)

Supplemental Fact Sheet Addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Preschool, Elementary and Secondary Schools While Serving Children with Disabilities

This is the most recent guidance published by the U.S. Department of Education Offices that intends to provide clarity around how schools should address educating all students, including those with disabilities, during school closures. The Department reminds schools that they should not solely decline to offer online or remote learning based on their ability to provide FAPE for students with disabilities. Rather, the Department encourages and provides examples for schools about how to provide services and remain in compliance. It also provides information on IDEA timelines that may be extended given current school closures. (US Dept of Ed, Office for Civil Rights & Office of Special Education and Rehabilitation Services)

Providing Services To English Learners During The Covid-19 Outbreak

This fact sheet outlines States’ responsibilities to English learners (ELs) and their parents during the extended school closures and, in some cases, the move to remote learning due to the national emergency caused by the novel Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). (US Department of Education)

Additional resources for understanding our obligations to English Learners and their families :

• Ensuring English Learner Students Can Participate Meaningfully and Equally in Educational Programs

• Information for Limited English Proficient Parents and for Schools and School Districts that Communicate with Them

COVID-19 and Students with Disabilities 

This document reviews critical considerations that district and school leaders must make as they create their learning plans for students with disabilities during school closures. It provides and explains IDEA mandates, while giving schools questions to weigh as they move to remote learning. Finally, the NCSECS offers options for remote learning practices and strategies for IEP teams to remain in compliance with federal law. (National Center for Special Education in Charter Schools)

Legal FAQs on Coronavirus, School Closings, and Special Education

In partnership with the National Center for Learning Disabilities, the Understood.org team poses and answers key questions about the legal parameters of COVID-19. In reader-friendly language, the questions cover a range of possible scenarios and provide links to further federal guidance for each situation. (Understood.org)

OCR Short Webinar on Online Education and Website Accessibility

This video provides recommendations from OCR about how services, programs, and activities online can be made accessible to all students, including those with disabilities. The video discusses the legal framework for online accessibility, describes what accessibility means in the context of remote learning programs, and shares the resources available for educators who are designing online learning. (US Office of Civil Rights)

FERPA & Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

This FAQ document, regarding the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) assists school leaders in protecting student privacy by describing what personally identifiable information (PII) can be disclosed, as well as when and how this information should be shared in the context of COVID-19.  (US Dept of Ed, Student Privacy Policy Office)

Collection of State Guidance Documents

This padlet links all State Education Agency and Federal guidance related to special education.

CDC’s May 19, 2020 Considerations for Schools

As some communities in the United States open K-12 schools, CDC offers the following considerations for ways in which schools can help protect students, teachers, administrators, and staff and slow the spread of COVID-19. Schools can determine, in collaboration with state and local health officials to the extent possible, whether and how to implement these considerations while adjusting to meet the unique needs and circumstances of the local community. Implementation should be guided by what is feasible, practical, acceptable, and tailored to the needs of each community.