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.

Virginia Department of Education (VDOE)

  • The VDOE has expanded access to Virtual Virginia, its online learning system, thanks to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Virtual Virginia will allow teachers in grades K–12 to host virtual classes and give school systems more options as they look to reopen in a virtual format for the fall.
  • The VDOE has created an interactive infographic to display how counties have decided to reopen in the fall.

  • Plans are subject to change as health conditions evolve, and the VDOE will update this infographic accordingly.

Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)

  • ACPS has submitted their Virtual PLUS+ Reopening Plan to the VDOE.
  • Virtual PLUS+ instruction will be closely aligned to traditional in-person learning, with:
    • The same number of lesson blocks across grade levels
    • Real-time synchronous learning with teachers and students live online
    • Pre-recorded lessons
    • Asynchronous activities
    • Attendance being taken
    • Grading on completed work
  • Schedules will be designed to include small group and whole group learning activities, movement or brain breaks, and social and emotional growth opportunities. There will also be teacher office hours and other ways for students to get support virtually.
  • For elementary and middle school students, the school day will happen between 8 a.m. – 2:30 p.m. ET Tuesday through Friday. Mondays will be asynchronous learning days so teachers and staff can plan and attend meetings. The asynchronous days will include resources such as recorded instructional videos, projects, and online assignments that students can access independently. Instruction will include lessons in English language arts, math, science and social studies, Encore, and a dedicated block for SEAL (Social, Emotional, and Academic Learning).
    • Elementary school students will have schedules aligned with traditional elementary school schedules.
    • Middle school students will have schedules aligned with their traditional 4×4 (A-Day/B-Day) schedule.
  • Middle school students’ synchronous instructional learning model will include 60-minute block periods implementing a station rotation model. They will start the day with SEAL time. One block each will be dedicated to Wellness Wednesday and Fitness Friday, in which students will be supported in their social and emotional learning. They will end their day with 40 minutes of office hours where teachers can give additional support for students.
  • All grades will include whole group instruction followed by independent practice and an option to work in a small group with a teacher or specialist. This will mimic in-person learning and will ensure students are not exposed to continuous screen time.
  • For high school students, the school day will occur between 8:30 a.m. and 3:10 p.m. ET. Monday will also be an asynchronous learning day and a planning day for teachers and staff. Tuesday through Friday will be synchronous learning days with some embedded asynchronous learning. Students will take four classes each semester and will have 50–60 minute block periods.
  • ACPS plans to fully implement Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) in a virtual format. Services will continue via teletherapy. They are considering the possibility of a phased face-to-face return for students with disabilities beginning with students in city-wide classrooms in late September and early October.

Arlington Public Schools (APS)

  • APS is relaunching the APS Parent Academy starting the week of Aug. 24, 2020. It will include pre-recorded courses, video tutorials, and additional resources to help guide parents through the process of distance learning.
  • Schools are reaching out to families to schedule IEP meetings. The goal is to make sure all students with IEPs have access to distance learning and that their services and supports are aligned with the distance learning model.
    • Schools will note and document the services students were receiving before the school closure in March via a Prior Written Notice (PWN) so that when schools open back up to five days (or 30 instructional hours) per week, the appropriate services will resume.
  • APS is assuring everyone that once the decision is made to transition to the hybrid model, students with disabilities will be among the first group of students to transition.

Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)

  • FCPS has noted that many parents are turning to “pandemic pods” or tutoring pods to teach their children. They have cautioned parents that these efforts are not supported or controlled by FCPS. These efforts may widen the gap in educational access and equity for all students. This is because not all families can afford private instruction or the transportation that may be required to attend a pandemic pod.

Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS)

  • FCCPS will structure their online instruction to make it as developmentally and age-appropriate for students as possible. They will not expect students to sit in front of a computer all day.
    • For example, they expect Pre-K–grade 2 students to have direct instruction in short spurts throughout the day rather than all at once.
  • FCCPS has cautioned parents against a “pandemic flight,” or families deciding to leave the Falls Church school system in favor of homeschooling, private schooling, pods, or the like. They have shared that an exodus of students from FCCPS could decrease funding, which would affect their budget and the ability to do things such as hire additional teachers. This could be problematic if those that left the system decide to return later, once the budget has been decreased to reflect the smaller student population.

Frederick County Public Schools

  • The first day of the 2020–2021 school year will begin Sept. 8, 2020 rather than Aug. 31.

Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS)

  • On Tuesday, Aug. 18, 2020, the Loudoun County School board voted to direct LCPS staff to work toward part-time in-person learning for certain:
    • Special education students on Oct. 13
    • English-learning students and preschoolers by Oct. 27
  • Although there are not sufficient special education staff that have indicated they’d be willing to return to a hybrid learning environment, the Board may recommend LCPS require as many faculty and staff members necessary to accommodate students in this first phase of hybrid learning.
    • This is a reflection of the Board’s acknowledgement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. LCPS cannot limit specialized programming to students who attend schools with sufficient staffing.
  • The special education students in Stage 1 of the transition will include those who receive instruction through the Aligned Standards of Learning (ASOL) or self-contained programs.

Prince William County Public Schools (PWCPS)

  • PWCS has offered a 100% virtual opening for the fall, with the exception of some students who will have in-person learning, such as those in special education or English language learners. Currently, they are preparing to offer in-person learning for about 1,900 students who fit that criteria.

Stafford County Public Schools

  • Student schedules should be available on Monday, Aug. 24, 2020.