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Over the past few years, schools have rallied to mitigate the impact of student academic disruption and the widespread social, physical, emotional and psychological impact of the pandemic. The school district was facing some of the biggest learning challenges it had ever been presented with, and knew that making minor adjustments would not suffice. Through purposeful, creative and innovative teaching approaches, we have been able to rely on technology and reimagine the classroom.
Many school districts have seen how the support traditionally included in special education services, such as providing one-on-one help and helping organize schoolwork, can be effective for all students .
However, in expanding this support, the district did not provide additional support or services to students with special education needs – and it shows. They report, on average, 32 points lower in mathematics and 40 points lower in reading than students without disabilities. The Parent Lawyers and Advocates Council found that by 2021, only 18% of her students with disabilities were provided with compensatory services.
It was not difficult to predict that the intersection of the challenges posed by the pandemic and disability would amplify the impact of the learning interruption on these students. And now, as neurotypical students begin to more quickly fill the learning gaps caused by the pandemic, it’s not hard to imagine what will happen to neurodiverse students.
For students with learning and thinking gaps that require special education, the impact of COVID-19 will be chronic, even when it feels like the crisis is over. It is more urgent than ever for schools to stop focusing on half-baked instruction and focus on children with disabilities who are consistently marginalized at the bottom of the ladder. Here’s where schools can start:
First, we need to focus on approaches that benefit all learners. Students struggle for a variety of reasons, but by responding to interventions and implementing a multi-layered support system, educators can help ensure that every child has the right academic and social-emotional guidance before they fall behind. We can definitely provide support. Furthermore, by embracing universal design for learning as a core principle of school culture and as a necessary aspect of diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, all students can restore their academic achievements and achieve similar outcomes. You can show that you can gain confidence with speed. The goal is to use a variety of teaching methods to remove barriers to learning so that all students have the same chance of success.
Decades of research have proven that these tactics have a positive impact on students with special education needs by providing a variety of assessment formats. Like presentations and posters, it presents information visually, verbal, and tactically to accommodate different learning preferences. It also benefits all students. Why is it not a priority in every classroom?
Second, school districts should use individualized education programs and 504 plans to prioritize issues that matter most to students. It is also a useful tool for advocating for more compensatory services regardless of school or community policy.
Special education teachers aren’t the only ones who need access to these plans. Empower all teachers to make decisions about the specific learning and support needs of their students based on their strengths, growth areas and challenges. Although the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 require only one general education teacher to participate in the IEP process, the district should ensure that IEP/504 discussions are collected and all should be dedicated to conveying the views and feedback of teachers. That is the only way to ensure that all caregivers in a student’s life are working towards the same goal and mission.
Finally, the education community needs to focus on what must happen at the system level for large-scale transformation to occur. First, the school district must provide special education services to her students over the age of 21 to help those severely impacted by learning disruptions address existing chronic problems. Various states have begun implementing this change to address the shortage of post-high school transition services. If so, the school district should also provide counseling about the implications of staying in high school. It’s about how students can take advantage of the additional time and resources provided, and how they can weather the social impact of staying in school longer.
State and federal levels require specific reporting requirements for COVID Funds and Compensatory Services to ensure funds are allocated in the right places to make a real impact on students with disabilities.
To address the chronic problem of teacher burnout and shortages, especially in special education, school districts should also consider alternatives to certification and professional development. Her traditional four-year degree-to-classroom pipeline is no longer sufficient. Schools can hire professionals who leave the corporate world and make way for aides and assistants who do not have to spend additional money on their education.
After all, the challenges facing special education are deep, nuanced, and long-lasting. Similar solutions are needed to address them and ensure that children with learning and thinking differences are not completely forgotten.
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