How will education continue for my student who receives special education?
Special Education Professionals as part of IEP teams are reaching out to parents, guardians and educational decision makers to create and finalize an Individual Continuous Learning Plan for each student with an exceptionality. These plans ensure that ALL students will be a part of the Continuous Learning process implemented by Topeka Public Schools during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic school closure.
My child’s IEP is due in the next two months. Will I still have my IEP meeting?
Yes. Meetings may be held virtually or by phone conferencing, but they will continue. Your child’s IEP case manager will contact you to schedule that meeting.
What should I be doing with my student right now, before continuous learning begins?
There are no expectations for academic activities before March 30. Our only suggestion would be to begin working on routines and schedules so students are ready to learn, and to begin participation in continuous learning academic activities on March 30.
Has the federal government released any guidance on how to handle Special Education Instruction?
Both the Kansas Department of Education and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services of the United States Department of Education have released guidance throughout the COVID pandemic. Guidance is updated as circumstances change. Topeka Public Schools has consulted with KSDE throughout the planning process and will continue to do so throughout this time. Links to both agencies are provided below.
How are we ensuring continuity of learning for students with exceptionalities?
Teachers, Building and District Leaders have been working hard, collaborating to design Continuous Learning opportunities for all Topeka Public Schools students. We are working through individual situations with individual students who have exceptionalities. Continuous Learning may include collaboration between general and special educators, virtual learning components, teleconferencing, paper/pencil tasks and/or use of manipulatives.
Will there be compensatory services for students with exceptionalities?
When school resumes, IEP teams will need to consider if compensatory/make-up services for individual students with exceptionalities are necessary.
Is a school required to continue to provide FAPE to students with exceptionalities during a school closure caused by COVID-19 response efforts?
When a school is closed because of COVID-19 response efforts and does not provide any educational services to the general student population, the school is not required to provide services to students with exceptionalities during that closure period. Once school resumes, the district/school must provide special education and related services to the child in accordance with the child’s individualized education program (IEP) or Section 504 plan.
When a school is closed because of COVID-19 response efforts and does provide educational services to the general student population, the school must ensure that students with exceptionalities have equal access to the same opportunities, including the provision of FAPE. In addition, districts/schools must ensure that, to the greatest extent possible, each student with a disability can be provided the special education and related services identified in the student’s IEP or Section 504 plan.
Once school resumes, a child’s IEP team (or appropriate personnel under Section 504) must make an individualized determination whether and to what extent compensatory services may be needed, consistent with applicable requirements, including to make up for any skills that may have been lost during the closure within a reasonable timeframe.
Who can I contact if I have questions about my own or my child’s rights during this time?
Families Together advocates for families of children with exceptionalities. Their website may be of help https://familiestogetherinc.org/, and their phone number is 785-233-4777.
To review state guidance from KSDE on Continuous Learning, visit the Kansas Family Guide to Continuous Learning website at: https://sites.google.com/ksde.org/kansascontinuouslearning2020/kansas-family-guide-to-continuous-learning?authuser=0