Giving Compass' Take:

• Here are helpful strategies for states and schools to address the needs of students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

• Can education donors help provide necessary resources for schools to better equip educators during this time? 

• Learn more about the impact of school closures on students with disabilities. 

Parents of children with disabilities are particularly challenged by school re-openings. They need their schools, but many will find their children returning to understaffed, underequipped and underfunded programs, a problem only exacerbated by COVID. But their challenges don’t end there. Much of the state’s special education model is outdated and in desperate need of a revamp. Additional resources alone won’t solve the problem. As our country contemplates this new school year, it should also open the door for schools to reimagine education for students with disabilities.

In Arizona, Governor Doug Ducey and Superintendent Kathy Hoffman have allocated initial CARES Act funds to support school reopening plans, compensatory education for students with disabilities, and student safety.  Encouragingly, they also have dedicated monies to support innovation. Likely, many of your state’s leaders have made similar decisions. As the state’s guidance continues to evolve and as boards and departments begin to review school re-opening plans, both our states and our schools should consider the following ways to address the needs of special education students:

  1. Make special education a focal point in state and school reopening plans. 
  2. Seek feedback from and provide support to families of students with disabilities. 
  3. Prioritize inclusion. 
  4. Address learning loss. 
  5. Balance local control with state support.

It has become glaringly obvious that students with disabilities have been disproportionately affected by the shutdown of our nation’s schools due to the COVID pandemic. Beyond the dilemma of ensuring device access and connectivity, schools are struggling to convert their special education programs and related services to an online environment.

This unprecedented challenge could present an unprecedented opportunity for Arizona to reboot its approach to special education. Rather than replicating existing models online and contemplating modifications and accommodations later, this is the time to flip the paradigm. Now is the time to empower school leaders to reinvent the design and delivery of special education services and supports, knowing that it will benefit all students.

Read the full article about children with disabilities by Karla Phillips-Krivickas at Getting Smart.