Remote Learning, Special Education

Top 10 Special Education Issues for the 2023-24 School Year

Harris Beach PLLC on 9/1/2023

Harris Beach has a team of four attorneys paying close attention to issues and news in the special education arena. Based on their knowledge of the field, they have assembled a list of issues for school districts, special...more

COVID Learning Losses and IDEA Remedies: What Parents Must Know

Kohrman Jackson & Krantz LLP on 5/31/2023

School aged children lost much in the pandemic, including critical learning time in the classroom, social development, mental health, extracurricular activities, and much more. According to a 2023 study published in the...more

Revisions to the Pennsylvania School Code: What You Need to Know

Fox Rothschild LLP on 7/20/2022

Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf has signed into law several changes to the Pennsylvania School Code. Here are some highlights from Act 55 of 2022, and the impact it will have on school entities in the Commonwealth....more

OCR Announces Resolution Agreement with L.A. Schools over Remote-Learning Related Services to Students with IEPs and 504 Plans

Franczek P.C. on 5/17/2022

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (“OCR”) recently announced a resolution agreement with the Los Angeles Unified School District largely addressing issues related to OCR’s finding that the District...more

OCR Issues Fact Sheet on Providing FAPE During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Addressing the Need for Compensatory Services Under...

Franczek P.C. on 2/24/2022

The Office for Civil Rights in the Department of Education recently issued a new Fact Sheet. The Fact Sheet repeats prior guidance that “the responsibility for schools to comply with Section 504 continues regardless of how...more

OSERS Guidance on Assistive Technology

Franczek P.C. on 1/4/2022

In this third blog post in our series on the OSERS Question and Answer document on IDEA requirements related to returning to in-person instruction, we are focusing on an issue of special importance during and subsequent to...more

New Year, New Laws

Franczek P.C. on 8/24/2021

Welcome to the 2021-2022 school year! As we begin, special education leaders should take note of several new laws recently signed by the Governor. We have been talking a lot about HB 40 and HB 2748, which extend transition...more

COVID 19-Handbook V.2: What are the Implications for Special Education?

Franczek P.C. on 4/14/2021

The Department of Education recently issued Volume 2 of its COVID-19 Handbook. The handbook offers suggestions for creating safe and healthy learning environments, addressing lost instructional time, and supporting educator...more

OCR Decision Highlights Common Child Find Red Flags

Franczek P.C. on 2/22/2021

A recent OCR decision out of Wyoming is a reminder to school districts of their Child Find obligations—including during remote instruction. In Teton County School District, Wyoming, OCR found in favor of the school district...more

Outgoing OCR Opens Investigations Into Special Education Services During Remote Learning

Franczek P.C. on 1/29/2021

In the final weeks of the Trump administration, the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) initiated “proactive investigations” against Seattle Public Schools and the Indiana Department of Education related...more

Is Providing Services to the Greatest Extent Possible Enough?

Franczek P.C. on 12/15/2020

The COVID-19 pandemic has presented hardships for all students and school leaders, and it has been particularly challenging for students with disabilities and their IEP teams. Over the last nine months, districts and schools...more

OCR and OSEP Issue New Q&As related to Special Education in the Current COVID-19 Environment

Franczek P.C. on 10/5/2020

OCR recently published a Q&A document providing expectations for compliance with civil rights laws during the pandemic. While OCR is not responsible for enforcing the IDEA, it is responsible for Section 504. Because students...more

What Are Hearing Officers Saying about Remote Learning?

Franczek P.C. on 9/21/2020

Now that many of us have been doing some form of remote learning for close to 7 months, we are starting to see hearing officers and state agencies weigh in to resolve complaints related to the appropriateness of remote...more

Will Hearing Officers and Courts Order In-Person Instruction as Stay-Put?

Franczek P.C. on 7/31/2020

While only a handful of cases have been reported related to districts’ provision of special education services remotely, we are watching carefully for lessons learned. So far, courts have not required in-person instruction as...more

Remote Learning › Special Education

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