Special Education Legal Updates After 18 Months of COVID-19: Avoiding Claims and Enabling Learning
1 hour 30 minutesPublic education in the US experienced a collective trauma over the last 18 months, enduring COVID-19’s impact on instruction. The crisis forced changes to instructional methods, impacted IEP implementation, raised questions about student mental health, and caused educators to re-think public education. While some students thrived during virtual and hybrid instruction, others — particularly students in special education with more significant needs — did not receive significant educational benefit or experience anticipated progress.
Schools now face another year filled with uncertainty, but the lessons learned while managing special education during the past 18 months can help you effectively plan for the 2021-2022 school year, avoid or limit legal claims, and most importantly, enable learning progress for our most disabled students.
Join nationally recognized Education Law litigator and professor John Comegno, Esq. as he provides practical suggestions for navigating these and other cutting-edge special education legal questions:
- What is the most important legal issue to consider while re-opening school this year?
- Do you need to provide more services to “make up” for hybrid/virtual learning?
- Why does Child Find mean more now than ever?
- What is “COVID-19-LD” eligibility and how can you avoid improper eligibility determinations through best practices?
- Does a diagnosis of “Long Covid” automatically require an IEP or a Section 504 plan?
- What worked well last year? Should we embrace some change related to special education?
- How can you defend “comp ed” claims most effectively?
- Is social emotional learning different now, and what does that mean for the future of instruction?
DISCLAIMER: Frontline Education does not provide legal advice. Always consult your district’s legal counsel.
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The tools you need to manage your district virtually.
Frontline’s solutions offer a wide array of functionality to help you tackle day to day operations remotely. Each of the following options will link you to a brief corresponding webinar or other relevant information.
Electronically (and proactively) engage with job seekers and candidates. Watch Now
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Electronic HR source of truth. Watch Now
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- Access and track completions of Canvas courses in Frontline alongside all other professional development your district offers – in-person, online, out-of-district, conferences, and more.
- Create Online Learning Programs to group resources, track completion and award credit.
- Upload your district’s own content – files, links and videos – to use in learning activities.
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- Document and report on COVID-19 symptoms and diagnoses to understand who may have been exposed.
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Disclaimer: Frontline Education does not provide legal advice. Always consult your district’s counsel about the issues discussed in this webinar.