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.
U.S. Department of Education (DOE)
- The DOE released a Q&A about the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B Provision of Services. One highlight included the following quote:
- “OSEP [Office of Special Education Programs] reminds SEAs [state educational agencies] and LEAs [local education agencies] that no matter what primary instructional delivery approach is chosen, SEAs, LEAs, and individualized education program (IEP) Teams remain responsible for ensuring that a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is provided to all children with disabilities. If State and local decisions require schools to limit or not provide in-person instruction due to health and safety concerns, SEAs, LEAs, and IEP Teams are not relieved of their obligation to provide FAPE to each child with a disability under IDEA.”
Alexandria City Public Schools (ACPS)
- ACPS shared that 93% of all students had been online and engaged in at least half of their classes in the first week of school.
- The Virtual PLUS+ Learning Advisory Team and ACPS Senior Leadership Team met to discuss achievements, challenges, and recommendations during the first couple weeks of school.
- Families, staff, and students are being surveyed concerning the phased re-entry of students into school buildings for in-person learning. ACPS is using the survey data, along with guidance from the Alexandria Health Department and staff analysis, to make decisions about next steps.
- ACPS is planning to announce next steps in mid-October. This will allow a couple of weeks for families to make any necessary adjustments before the next semester starts on Nov. 3, 2020.
Arlington Public Schools (APS)
- APS has created a phased return to hybrid/in-person learning plan with five levels of return, based on students’ need and ability to access virtual learning.
- Phase 1 will be a group of students who are unable to access distance learning without significant adult support. They will be able to continue virtual learning in the school building with staff support. APS is hoping this will happen in mid-October.
- APS is also working to determine the next phase of students with disabilities who will work with the hybrid model in the school. They are hoping this group of students will be able to return in early to mid-November.
- Ideally, APS will return all other students who have selected hybrid/in-person instruction in early December.
Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS)
- FCPS plans to begin in-person instruction for small groups (or cohorts) of students who experience the greatest challenges with distance learning.
- The first cohort will hopefully return in early October; other cohorts will be phased in throughout the rest of the month.
- These initial cohorts represent about 3.5% of the total FCPS student population.
- The students having the greatest difficulty with distance learning have been identified in four groups:
- Group 1: Students enrolled in select high school career and technical education (CTE) courses.
- Group 2: Preschool autism and preschool class-based students, students with limited interrupted formal education (SLIFE), and students enrolled in select high school CTE courses.
- Group 3: Students who attend Key Center and Kilmer Center; secondary and elementary students who access the adapted curriculum; elementary Comprehensive Services Sites (CSS); SLIFE students in grades 3–12; English learner newcomers who entered FCPS after July 2019; and students enrolled in select high school CTE courses.
- Group 4: Elementary-age students attending Burke School and high school students enrolled in select CTE courses.
Falls Church City Public Schools (FCCPS)
- FCCPS’ first wave of students is set to return in early October. This group will include about 80 of the most impacted students and use the hybrid instruction model. They plan to bring back students such as those in:
- Life Skills
- Therapeutic day programs
- Those whose IEP calls for more than 50% time instructed by a special education teacher
- Hearing, vision, and orthopedically impaired
- Some ESOL students
- Pre-K students in special education or those who participate in the Virginia Preschool Initiative (VPI) program
- The second wave of students would likely be the K–5 students, who they hope to start bringing back in November. The first to return in November would be kindergarten and 3rd grade, then 1st and 4th grade, then 2nd and 5th grade.
- Their goal is to have all elementary students in the hybrid/in-person model by the first part of December.
- FCCPS has also suggested that secondary students (grades 6–12) could enter the hybrid/in-person model at the beginning of the second semester, which is also when the new high school will be completed. This would help with social distancing as students return.
Loudoun County Public Schools (LCPS)
- The Loudoun County School Board has directed LCPS to work to return K–2 students for hybrid/in-person learning two days a week starting on Oct. 27, 2020.
- Students with disabilities who receive instruction through the Aligned Standards of Learning, as well as those in self-contained programs, will start hybrid learning on Oct. 13, as long as their IEP teams have approved them.
Prince William County Public Schools (PWCPS)
- PWCPS is asking parents to update their choice for students attending in-person or virtual in the second quarter starting in November. If no selections were ever made, the default is in-person.
- PWCS plans to start their 50% in-person classes on Nov. 10, 2020.
Spotsylvania County Public Schools (SCPS)
- SCPS is planning to transition to their hybrid/in-person learning on Oct. 12, 2020.
Stafford County Public Schools
- Stafford is beginning to bring students back.
- They will be piloting a kindergarten program in five schools starting next week so they can create best practices for the return of all K–5 students on Oct. 26, 2020.
