2020 has been a challenging year for everyone, but one of
the hardest hit populations have been students. With schools switching back and
forth between in-person and remote or some version of a hybrid, students with
IEPs have had it particularly rough. As a parent, it’s hard to watch your child
struggle, but we often wonder what we can do or say to make things easier,
especially during a pandemic. The Family Engagement Team at The Arc TN has
pulled together some tips and resources that you can use to help get you and
your child through this year.
Important things to Remember:
·
The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act
(IDEA) is a Federal Law and has not been changed or waived in light of
COVID-19. Your students still have the right to a Free and Appropriate Public
Education (FAPE). https://fespedtn.blogspot.com/2020/11/breaking-down-idea.html
·
If a school district is providing remote or
virtual learning opportunities, the FAPE is required to make sure students with
disabilities are able to fully access those opportunities: https://fespedtn.blogspot.com/2020/06/
·
Participation in all educational opportunities
provided by the school is important. If the educational opportunity provided
for your child does not work for them, document that and tell the school so
they can figure out another plan.
·
Keep detailed notes about how the student is
being impacted. CLICK
HERE for a weekly guide to tracking your child’s progress. Always keep
everything in writing.
·
Open communication between you and the teacher is
key!!
·
If a teacher is trying a new strategy, it may be
best to implement the strategy at home, too.
Here are some questions to consider:
·
What are the educational options, choices,
opportunities, and participation for students WITHOUT disabilities?
·
How many hours of a week is instruction being
provided?
·
How is instruction being provided?
·
Is homework being assigned?
·
Are students with disabilities being offered the
same instruction and education option, opportunities, choices, activities, and
supports as students without disabilities?
Questions to ask yourself about students with
disabilities:
·
How will the students be tested to determine the
outcomes for students with IEPs and 504 plans are assisting students in
reaching their goals?
·
Will the students have accessibility to all
learning materials (print and digital) and technologies, enabling students with
disabilities to access curricula with assistive technology?
·
Does the school have personnel and guidelines in
place to ensure that students’ IEPs and 504 plans are appropriately reviewed,
revised, and updated in partnership with parents and guardians, as scheduled
during the year, whether remote or in-person?
·
Are general education, special education,
assistive technology, and education technology staff prepared to collaborate to
ensure that every learner with a disability continues to learn and make
progress in the least restrictive environment?
If the student with disabilities is not being offered the
same instruction, here is a list of steps for parents can take. Parents can
take any approach they prefer. But this is a good recommendation for the order
you could try.
·
Address the issue with your child's teacher
·
Request a meeting of the IEP team to address the
issue
·
Contact the Special Education Director at your
school district about the issue
·
Reach out to the Department to speak to a
complaint investigator Heather Anderson at Heather.Anderson@tn.gov and she will
work with you to try to resolve this informally
·
File an administrative complaint with the
Department of Education
·
Request mediation from an outside party
·
Request a Due Process hearing https://fespedtn.blogspot.com/2020/06/since-shortly-after-schools-closed-in.html
If you have any questions about the services your child is
receiving in special education, please feel free to reach out to our team at
specialeducation@thearctn.org.
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