GUEST EDITORIAL
In the spring of 2020, many schools closed due to COVID-19; however, the federal government announced that there would be no waivers for special education students.
Schools were required to implement everything within the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) as usual. Timelines for evaluations, reevaluations, notices, meetings, data collections, services and regulations should have continued despite the issues schools faced. IDEA is a law that guarantees that a free and appropriate public education is available to all students with disabilities throughout the nation. It regulates how states and public agencies provide services to more than 7.5 million eligible infants, toddlers, children and youth with disabilities. This law ensures children receive special education and related services through early intervention.
Special education encompasses an array of needs of children who may struggle with processing and reasoning skills, speech, difficulty with reading or math skills, to children with visual or hearing impairments, and children with multiple disabilities that benefit from additional time, modification of assignments, or small group instruction, or one-to-one support. These students have Individual Education Plans (IEPs) — legal contracts between the school and parents that set goals for the child and outline the special education services to be provided by teachers and other related service professionals based on their disability and according to their ability.
Due to challenges, Osceola’s school district experienced difficulties providing special education services. Some parents were not aware that the services that were outlined in the contract of the IEP were required to be implemented in the virtual setting. Parents were also unaware that timelines for special education evaluations and meetings remained effective despite the schools opting to postpone them. Disadvantaged families experienced economic hardship, food insecurity and lack of access to technology, all of which hindered their access to remote learning. The inequalities that already exist in education were exacerbated and increased the widening of the achievement gap for students with disabilities.
Students have returned to school, but the instruction and related services missed during the pandemic continues to negatively impact the student’s loss of learning. Florida also implemented B.E.S.T. standards and ACCESS points which has impacted students with disabilities as related to participation in grade level standardized testing and changes in the least restrictive environment where they receive instruction.
Parents, you are a key member of the decision-making team and biggest advocate for your child. I strongly encourage you to know your rights based on IDEA law. The next important thing is to ask questions. Two questions that I would like to ask you are: Do your child’s IEP goals look the same every year? And, how have you ensured that your child is academically challenged and obtaining the support and specialized instruction that they need to address their deficits?
Dr. Starnes is the CEO of Starnes Education and Consulting Firm and Realtor with eXp Realty. She holds a Doctorate in Business and serves as an adjunct professor at Valencia College. She is an enthusiastic advocate for people and a change agent for community stakeholders and partners.
