Summary of Facebook Live Q&A: Special Education Updates

 9/2/2020 Facebook Live

Theresa Nicholls, TN Dept of Education, Assistant Commissioner of Special Populations

https://fb.watch/2gOWDdHCI8/ 

On this listening session with Theresa Nicholls and Jen Aprea, they spoke on expanding the Wednesday Q&A to include other professionals within the Department of Education to answer other important questions in different areas. Theresa gave update regarding the Reopening Toolkit. Feedback from many people were addressed and included in the toolkit. A supplement FAQ document is on website for further information. Advocacy community meeting has also resumed virtually. Jen spoke on establishing a Special Education Network Advocacy Groups that consists of multiple advocacy groups across the state is being developed to come together in a listen session that is more locally, or topic based. This group is open to local organizations and Advocacy groups that that works with school age children with disabilities and have insights on issues or experiences in schools. Group is designed so everyone can have a voice at the table to sharing any issues families are facing, and how we can work through that. If interested you can sign up using link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/LWMVYZ2?fbclid=IwAR0SbfrRpM6C1rCUjp0NOG1NTF-h3VgTWgDl0DIvahp90g_BQPVwJnf-ym4

Today’s Questions:

1.     Q: How can online learning be accessible to students with disabilities such as dyslexia or blindness?

 A: Accessibility feature is federally required so parents and educators are encouraged to take advantage of those features.  Check your setting to see which ones is offered: i.e. Screen reader, jaws, chat features, read aloud. The department is aware of the importance of this and therefore the technology grant fund was giving to districts for technology needs.

2.     Q: Should IEP team meet to add a plan in case of school closure again due to COVID?

A: IDEA doesn’t require a contingency plan, but it is a good idea to plan ahead for issues such as this. This can  prevent any delay in instructions by touching base and connecting with the case manager, and IEP team on what the plan can look like , especially if something will look different ( I.e. Change of services, change of accommodations) If changes must be agreed upon by the IEP team.

3.     Q: Is closed captioning required for virtual learning, and if the school district does not offer close captioning on virtual learning, what do you do?

A: District are required to provide the needed accommodation for student to have access to the general curriculum. Close captioning is one way to do it but there are other options that serve the same purpose/same accessibility. Schedule an IEP meeting to speak on concerns, what your child has been able to access, what’s been helpful, what hasn’t been helpful. This is always your first step, but procedural safeguards are in place to help you through the steps to resolving a situation.

4.     Q: If I feel like my district is not following the CLP, what can I do?

 A: CLP is a continuous learning plan  that the districts are required to submit to the department based on the state board rules that requires the department to review and approve plans to ensure students receive instructions throughout the course of the school year regardless if in-person, virtual, or some hybrid model.. The plans are made publicly through the district website or the department of education website. If you feel your individual child’s needs are not being met, reach out to your case manager to see how the implementation of the CLP will affect your child.

5.     Q: What is the timeline/deadline for receiving the contingency learning plan?

A: Districts are using different terminology for learning plans. It communicates to parents how the student will receive the services/instruction, no change of services is made.  An example may be if a child was previous provided services from 10-1030 in person, service may now be from 9-9:30 on Zoom. This is a line of communication with the parents to address the mode the services will be provided. A contingency plan is if changes need to be made to the IEP itself. There isn’t a requirement to how the services will be received, but the district strongly encourage communication with parents, case managers.

6.     Q: Should I add a requirement in my child’s IEP if there has always been an aide in the class to assist, but not always. 

A: If your child needs inclusion support to access curriculum, it should be documented in the IEP. If your child was benefiting from support of an aide that may have been provided to other students and now without it he/she is not being successful, then yes his needs should be reflected in his IEP and that would be a good cause to requesting that meeting.

7.     Q: Metro wants to put decision to parents to go virtual or brick and mortar on prior written notices, Is that the correct place?

A: It is a great way to document the parent choice, it is not an IEP decision. If it is relevant to the child’s education, there is nothing wrong with documenting in the prior written notice

Resource Link on Tips to address a concern: https://fespedtn.blogspot.com/2020/06/

Special Population Toolkit link: https://www.tn.gov/.../health.../Special%20Populations.pdf

FE Family supplement resource link: https://fespedtn.blogspot.com/2020/08/special-populations-reopening-toolkit.html?fbclid=IwAR3_WXiHdFTosF_H2tQtlqDN3xzItSjnMREFkwOBGGTFJdUr2yjleNiRQwo