Special Education Law Updates Amid Continued COVID-19 Pandemic

The purpose of this blog post is to provide some updates regarding the current legal landscape.  This post is just a snapshot of the current situation as the situation continues to change rapidly.

Federal Level
As per our previous post, the United States Department of Education (DOE) issued guidance regarding the provision of services to children with disabilities.

It also issued a fact sheet about addressing the COVID-19 risk in schools while protecting the civil rights of students. 

As reflected in this statement from the U.S. DOE, Education Secretary DeVos published a new resource ("Supplemental Fact Sheet") on accessibility and distance learning options.

Last week the Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates (COPAA) posted a message about what it believed was a stimulus bill that, if passed, could have resulted in IDEA rights being waived by Congress as part of its response to COVID-19.  This would have jeopardized children’s rights to a free appropriate public education.  However, I am happy to share that, as per COPAA, this proposal was only floated and has since been pulled back.

State/Local Level

The New York State Education Department (NYSED) distributed a letter to all impartial hearing officers (IHOs) loosening the requirements for conducting impartial hearings.  All scheduled hearings are being held telephonically.  Please consult with our office if you have specific questions about how impartial hearings are being conducted in light of these loosened requirements.  

Remote learning goes into effect for all K-12 students within the New York City Department of Education today, March 23.

Remote learning raises concerns for students with special needs who may not have the attention span or otherwise have the ability to sit and learn distantly without an instructor physically present.  Please consult with our office if you have specific questions about how remote learning affects your special needs child.  

Private special education schools -- including both state-approved nonpublic schools (NPSs) and independent private school -- should be creating their own distance learning plans to ensure that special needs children attending private placements receive appropriate remote instruction and therapies during this period.  

You can continue to access NYSED updates relating to COVID-19 here.  

At the New York City Department of Education level, we are still seeking clarification from the Department's Office of Legal Services (OLS), Implement Unit (IU), and Bureau of Nonpublic School Payables (NPSP) about how the current crisis will affect the funding and implementation of special education programs and services as they relate to the operation of those offices within the DOE. One thing, however, is clear: the DOE will require documentation reflecting how the student’s needs were supported by the school during school closures related to COVID-19.  We expect to have further clarification regarding what documentation the DOE will require soon.

 

Other

Please note that notary rules are changed through 4/18/2020.  The modified rules allow for notary via audio-visual conference.  Follow this link below for details.

We will continue to monitor the situation and keep you posted regarding any further updates.  In the meantime, please do not hesitate to contact our team if have any specific questions or concerns.

Office Closure + Working Remotely

We are hope you and your family are staying healthy and safe during this challenging time as we continue to deal with the coronavirus pandemic.

Please note that, as of Friday, March 13 our physical law office is closed.  The office will remain closed until it is safe to re-open.  

Our team will be working remotely during this time.  Calls to our office will be forwarded to our cell phones.  We are set up to conduct videoconferencing via Zoom.  We will remain accessible via email.  

If, at any time you are having difficulty reaching one of our team members, please contact me directly to let me know. 

U.S. Department of Education Issues Guidance For Provision Of Services To Children With Disabilities During Coronavirus Outbreak

We hope that you and your families are staying healthy and sane amid the current situation.  It is a challenging time.

In response to the coronavirus outbreak, the United States Department of Education (DOE) has issued guidance regarding the provision of services to children with disabilities pursuant to the Individuals with Disabilities Act (IDEA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act.  

You can access the DOE's guidance here.

MCC Transitions Conference About Changing The World For Young Adults With Autism

This week I attended the Manhattan Children's Center (MCC) Transitions conference about changing the world for young adults with autism and related disabilities.

The concept of helping special needs children transition to adulthood is one that has been close to my heart since my 2013 visit to the Ann Sullivan Center, a private special education school in Lima, Peru that educates children with severe developmental impairments.

In my December 8, 2013 blog post reflecting on my trip, I highlighted the Ann Sullivan Center's emphasis on functional skills, job training, and supportive employment over an individual's lifetime.

This week's MCC conference reminded me of the importance of this subject.  Some of the highlights of the conference for me were Dr. Mary McDonald's discussion about the skills we should be teaching children from a young age so they are able to transition better when they approach "the cliff" (i.e., the loss of services as a special needs child becomes an adult), and a panel discussion about the programs available to adults with special needs.

We spend so much time, energy, and resources supporting and nurturing special needs children until high school graduation or, in some cases, the age of 21.  Why stop providing such support and services simply because these individuals have reached adulthood?

Click here to view recent media coverage regarding the MCC Transitions conference: