Review‌ ‌the‌ ‌latest‌ ‌information‌ ‌related‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌Coronavirus‌ ‌disease‌ ‌2019‌ ‌(COVID-19)‌ ‌pandemic.‌ Our special education attorneys and advocates can help you and your child prepare for the return to school.

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)

  • Summer learning will be offered July 6–31, 2020, Monday through Thursday. All students have been enrolled in Boost programs so they have the option to participate in summer learning. Families may opt out of online classes and teacher check-ins without any penalties.
    • Students in pre-K through 4th grade will receive books and learning kits in the mail and will be able to interact with teachers through live, daily online sessions. These sessions will be recorded and available all summer.
    • Students in grades 5 through 11 will be able to enroll in up to two Boost classes (English and/or math) that are customized to their individual instructional needs. There are no class meeting times, so students can log in and work at their own pace.
    • Direct services will be in place to help students in need.
    • ACPS is also offering:
      • Virtual music and theater camps
      • Avid excel summer bridge
      • Governor’s health science summer bridge
      • Advanced Placement (AP) bootcamp and AP calculus bootcamp
      • Free credit recovery courses, which are available for any student that needs to repeat or retake a high school class
      • Fee-based classes for new credits
  • ACPS plans to share weekly updates on their progress toward creating a model to return to learning in August.

Arlington Public Schools (APS)

  • Superintendent Dr. Francisco Duran presented a return to learning model to the School Board on June 25. There are two options families will choose from.
    • The first is a hybrid in-school and distance learning model. One group would attend in-person classes on Tuesdays and Wednesdays, and another on Thursdays and Fridays. When not attending in-person classes, they would have distance learning.
    • The second is a full-time distance learning model, in which all learning would be virtual for students in high-risk categories or who aren’t comfortable returning to school.
      • For elementary and middle school students, this would be daily online, synchronous instruction along with self-directed learning.
      • For high school students, this would be daily learning facilitated by online virtual course providers. These providers could be teachers outside of APS, but APS staff would closely monitor the learning.
  • Parents will be notified of the two options on July 6, 2020, along with more details, and they are asked to pick a model by July 20.
    • If they do not pick a model, the default will be the hybrid instructional delivery model.
    • Once parents choose, they will be unable to make a change until after school resumes, at which time change requests will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.
  • APS plans to conduct health screenings for its employees and students every day, as well as implement enhanced cleaning and face mask requirements.
  • APS expects to provide a status update with more details on future plans at the July 1 School Board Organizational Meeting.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

  • FCPS has presented parents with a choice between two models. For both models, one day a week will be reserved for teacher planning and extra support for some students.
    • Full-time online instruction will consist of four days a week of synchronous learning and one day a week of asynchronous learning. This model would apply the whole year regardless of any changes to the operational status within schools. Families will have to be aware of the level of support necessary for their child to participate in online learning, as well as the fact that the full range of programs and courses may not be available.
      • For elementary school students, this would be 2.5 to 3.5 hours a day of synchronous learning, in whole group, small group, or individually. They would also receive one hour a day of specialized instruction as needed, such as special education services. The curriculum would include language arts, math, science, social studies, health, and physical education.
      • For middle school students, their instruction would include about three hours per week of synchronous instruction. Middle school curriculum is based on enrollment and would include the same topics as elementary school. Both elementary and middle school students will be mostly taught by FCPS staff.
      • High school students’ schedules will vary based on the delivery model for their courses and enrollment. Their courses will be aligned with the base school as much as possible, but they could be taught by a combination of Online Campus courses, Virtual Virginia courses, and specialized instruction from FCPS online staff.
    • The second model, in-school learning twice a week, would be put in place with health and social distancing guidelines in effect.
      • Classrooms and buses would be adjusted so students can be 6 feet apart.
      • There will be a daily health screening form that parents will fill out stating their child is asymptomatic and has not been exposed to anyone with symptoms.
      • There will likely be a rotating schedule with groups of students. One group would attend in-person on Tuesdays and Thursdays, while the other group would attend Wednesdays and Fridays.
        • The specific structure of this will be developed once FCPS has a better understanding of which students will be participating in this model.
  • FCPS is planning more synchronous or in-person learning for special education students. They are also planning to deliver new instructional content to everyone and work will be graded. They will be releasing more details about the plan in the near future.
  • FCPS asks that parents respond with their model of choice by July 10, 2020 so they will be able to plan schedules.

Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS)

  • FCCPS announced a hybrid alternating-day model as their current return to school plan, in which there will be at least two days of in-person instruction. One group will have in-person on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the other group on Wednesdays and Fridays. Distance learning will be a combination of synchronous and asynchronous learning.
    • Mondays will be reserved for teacher workdays, intervention, and small group instruction.
  • FCCPS plans to group students by alphabet in an effort to allow siblings to attend school on the same days.
  • Each day when students arrive, they will be asked to do a daily health screening and temperature check. Everyone will also be asked to wear face coverings and participate in social distancing and other health and safety guidelines.
  • For those that do not want to participate in the hybrid model, they can choose to fully participate in an online model. FCCPS will be working with Virtual Virginia for this online option.

Spotsylvania County Public Schools

  • Spotsylvania intends to share a plan with the School Board on July 13, 2020.

Stafford County Public Schools

  • Stafford plans to start school on Aug. 17, 2020 to give their staff more time to plan.
  • Stafford is considering several different models, but hopes to finalize plans on July 14.
    • Option A: Distance learning with targeted face-to-face instruction on Mondays. Students will be sorted into Groups A and B. On the days when the groups aren’t in school, they would have distance learning.
      • Group A: Learning at school on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
      • Group B: Learning at school on Thursdays and Fridays.
    • Option B: The alternating schedule described above would be the same, but Mondays would include learning at school on alternating weeks.
    • Option C: Complete distance learning.