This page will no longer be updated as of 8/31/2020. We wanted to preserve public-facing guidance and resources from March – August 2020.
In May 2020, we published an article on Medium: “How to Advocate for Your Student with an IEP During Distance Learning: Sample Letter.”
NEW YORK CITY
Accountability: If you feel remote learning is not being administered appropriately, you can still call Parent-311 at 718-935-2007 and get a transaction number. Email your transaction number and a brief description of the problem to specialeducation@schools.nyc.gov .
NYC DoE District School Re-Opening Plan Submission to NYSED (8/2020)
Grades, attendance, schedules, transportation, available on your child’s NYC Schools account,
New York Post article about federal class action lawsuit filed by NYC parents of students with disabilities, particularly Brain Injury Rights Group. (7/16/2020) Parents can still join the lawsuit. (8/20/2020)
Advocates for Children, Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler, LLP filed a federal class action lawsuit , Z.Q. v. NYC Department of Education on behalf of students with disabilities who have not received an appropriate eduction during remote learning (11/23/20)
NYC DoE Teletherapy Guidelines for related service providers (OT, PT, SLP, counseling, etc). (3/17/2020)
ASD Nest Support Project at NYU Steinhardt Resources for families and educators on Remote Learning includes practical info on setting up home environment, plus links to social story from Carol Gray about coronavirus. Peter Vermeulen’s post on ASD and Covid-19 tips is worth a read, especially the part about keeping positive and “pressing the context button.” (3/20/2020, and ongoing updates)
FAQs for NYC parents answered by Skyer Law includes what’s going on with scheduled IEP meetings and remote assessments and transportation (ongoing).
NY STATE
Dedicated NY State Education Department (NYSED) website on news & updates related to coronavirus.
NY State Education Dept (NYSED) Chancellor Suspends State Testing. (3/20/2020)
NYSED Special Education Guidance and Updates during March-August 2020 – Direct link to Memo Supplements 1, 2, and 3 with Q &A on providing services to students with disabilities
NY State Justice Center for the Protection of People with Special Needs has the TRAID Program, which provides access to assistive technology for any New Yorker with a disability.
NY State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities Guidance on Covid-19.
New York Immigration Coalition Education Collaborative advocates and assists on immigrant and MLL/ELL education. See their Covid-19 Resources.
FEDERAL
Admittedly, a go-to source for all of us here: Wright’s Law has posted FAQs (3/18/20) on FAPE, LEA and making up missed services due to COVID-19.
Council of Parent Attorneys & Advocates (CoPAA) COVID-19 resource page – includes advocacy alerts (ongoing) and CoPAA FAQ’s on Compensatory Education. (8/13/2020)
US Dept of Education Coronavirus Information and Resources for School Personnel contains guidance (Q & A for Families, 3/12/2020) and factsheets (Supplementary School Guidance Factsheet 3/21/2020) for provision of FAPE to students with disabilities during the epidemic. (ongoing updates)
US Dept of Education FERPA and Covid-19 FAQs. (3/16/2020) See also slideshow on FERPA and Virtual Learning (3/30/2020)
US Office of Civil Rights Enforcement Discretion on Teletherapy Factsheet with guidance for related service providers to use non-HIPAA compliant platforms during epidemic/emergency situations. (3/23/2020)
H.R. 6201, Families First Coronavirus Response Act (full text) (3/24/2020)
National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) Information and Resources on Coronavirus. (ongoing)
Consider signing up for Perry Zirkel‘s monthly legal updates (ongoing).
Special Support Services, LLC 