Recent Guidance from NC Dept. of Public Instruction, Exceptional Children Division
If our school district transitions to virtual instruction, how should the school district handle the delivery of special education and related services?
The use of virtual platforms should be considered on a case-by-case basis for the delivery of special education and related services. If this delivery option is not appropriate for an individual, the school district should begin keeping a log of services that are not provided and the dates on which the service should have been provided. Once the state of emergency has passed, relevant members of the IEP Team should develop a compensatory education plan to address the services owed during the virtual instructional schedule.
Remember: If schools are closed for all students, compensatory education is not required for those dates. In this case, any required school make-up days will address missed instruction for all students.
Note: DRNC encourages parents to keep a log of services missed to increase the accuracy of record-keeping for calculating compensatory education hours.
________
Resources for School Closures and Learning at Home
- Supporting students with autism through uncertain times – developed by the UNC Frank Porter Graham Child Development Autism Team
- Legal Aid of North Carolina Advocates for Children Services: Coronavirus updates and resources for North Carolina parents, guardians and students
- Special Education Degrees: Top 12 websites for children with learning disabilities
- Can Do! Kids! provides resources for helping students focus on the skills and strengths they possess through guided self-assessments
- AdaptiveWorksheets.com allows parents and teachers to create their own worksheets or print existing worksheets. Not all of their resources are free, but the resources listed here are: http://www.adaptiveworksheets.com/free.html
- The Special Student Services Blog by Juanita Pritchard provides guidance for supporting students with significant cognitive disabilities who have been classified as moderate/severe/profound
- Edutopia: Apps for special needs students
- NPR Just For Kids: A comic exploring the new coronavirus
- stories.audible.com – hundreds of free titles available, handpicked by Audible. Editor-selected to engage readers ages 0-18, these stories offer screen-free option to help with time home from school.
- Curriculum Associates: Supporting students away from school
- Amazing Educational Resources: A spreadsheet with a constantly updated listing of free online educational resources for students
- Legends of Learning: Free math and science games
- ASD Nest Support Project: Remote learning resources
For more information about special education during COVID-19, visit our Education Rights page.