The District will make every effort to provide students a free appropriate public education (FAPE) in accordance with services indicated on each student’s Section 504 plan, IEP or IESP during the continued school closure due to the COVID-19 crisis and State of emergency declaration.
Special education and related service providers will provide a schedule for service delivery. Related services which are usually provided in a group may have to be provided individually, in a smaller group size, or adapted according to the environment, in light of the present distance learning and staff/provider and student availability. Related services may be provided directly with the provider on the telephone, by online communication/virtual meeting, using computer-based instruction, or instruction using written materials, assistive or other technology.
The District is committed to providing parents with a meaningful opportunity to communicate their concerns and participate in the on-going implementation and development of their children’s Section 504 plans, IEPs or IESPs. The District understands that parents may have questions or concerns about their child’s special education program. The District encourages parents who have concerns about the special education support being provided during this period of distance learning to contact Jennifer Muller, CSE Chair. Additionally, as long as the school remains closed, all Section 504, CPSE or CSE meetings will be scheduled via telephone or video conference, to comply with existing health and safety guidance. If you would like to schedule a 504 Team, CPSE or CSE meeting via telephone or video conference, please contact Jennifer Muller at jmuller@gufs.org to request a meeting.
If your son or daughter has been recommended for an evaluation which requires a face-to-face assessment or observation, the evaluation will be delayed until school reopens, at which time the evaluator will follow-up with you to discuss the applicable rescheduled timeline to complete the evaluation. Any evaluations and reevaluations that do not require face-to-face assessments or observations may take place while schools are closed, so long as a student's parent or legal guardian consents to the re-evaluation or evaluation. If your child’s evaluation falls into the second category, the evaluator will contact you to secure your consent. Otherwise, the evaluation will be delayed until school reopens.
Because your child has been identified as a student with a disability and may receive special education and/or related services, such as school-based counseling, speech, occupational or physical therapies, telepractice is a process that allows us to deliver a service, not “in person” but through the use of telephone or other technology, including videoconferencing.
The District is using Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and NY Education Law 2-d (data privacy and confidentiality) compliant platforms to address privacy and confidentiality requirements. If services or instruction are provided using technology and remote learning platforms, please be advised that we expect students and parents to respect the confidentiality and rights of others by not recording (audio or video), taking screenshots or otherwise capturing instruction or services in any electronic, audio or digital manner. If your child needs a copy of the lesson or of any materials that have been (or will be) provided through telepractice, please have them contact their teacher or provider to obtain them.
To facilitate this process, if your child participates in his or her special education and/or related services via teletherapy, you may have your child use headphones/earbuds during group sessions and, when practicable, be in a private location or away from others or noise.
We have received updated guidance from the Federal and State Departments of Education, and Medicaid, all of which reassure us that a supplemental consent form is not required to allow the use of teletherapy and/or distance learning and instruction. Furthermore, IEPs do not need to be modified or adopted in light of telepractice for instruction or therapies, which means we will not be convening meetings for that express purpose at this time.