The Laurel School District is committed to providing all students with a disability the special education and related services identified in the student’s Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan in the least restrictive environment, regardless of the learning environment options provided by the school district or chosen by the family during the pandemic.
- Educators will look at each student individually when making decisions about unfinished learning (education missed by individual students due to school closure) and determining next steps
- IEP/504 teams will convene to collaborate with families and students to assess individual needs, progress and/or loss of skills and ultimately determine if each IEP/504 should be revised to reflect appropriate changes to services and supports and issue a Prior Written Notice (PWN) to the family
- IEP/504 teams will continue to engage in the following activities to determine student-specific needs regarding unfished learning and facilitate collaboration to address those needs:
- Ongoing progress monitoring of each student toward individual goals (IEP)
- Ongoing communication with families, teachers, and service providers (IEP & 504), and
- Ongoing documentation of the student progress and services delivered (IEP & 504).
- IEP/504 teams will assess each student, using multiple data points, formally or informally, to determine any patterns of regression and possible recoupment, or to determine if the student needs any additional services in order to recoup learning
- IEP teams will make annual decisions regarding Extended School Year (ESY) services, and take into account any changes to services and supports. ESY services can be provided any time during the IEP year, not only during the summer
- The IEP team will determine the need, if any, for recovery services (educational services offered to students as a result of missed or disrupted services during school closures), and ensure that the IEP is revised, if necessary, to include Recovery Services as a way to recoup the student’s skill regression. This could also be offered through ESY services. Not all students with an IEP will need Recovery Services, and will be made on an individualized basis
- Students with an IEP/504 will receive instruction alongside their peers in their Least Restrictive Environment (LRE)
- Special Education teachers and paraprofessionals will collaborate with general education teachers to provide appropriate accommodations and/or modifications to all lessons and assignments as per their students’ IEPs
- Small group and individualized settings will be utilized through Schoology and Zoom pull-out or separate scheduled sessions by special education teachers and/or paraprofessionals
- Special Education teachers will make individual contact with students on their caseload at least one time per week to check-in and ensure all services are being provided as per the student’s IEP, and will document this contact in Google Docs under each student name
- Special Education teachers will continue to progress monitor student progress toward goals as per their IEP on a quarterly basis and report to parents
- Related Service providers (RSPs) will continue to provide services as per the student’s IEP, such as school psychology/counseling, speech therapy, occupational therapy, physical therapy, sign language interpretation, and/or Deaf/Hard of Hearing services and blind/visual support
- RSPs will offer services on an appointment basis, as per frequency, time and duration on the student’s IEP in either a virtual therapy or in-person therapy format, or a combination of both
- RSPs will continue to conduct evaluations and re-evaluations as requested by signed PTEs and/or tri-annually, to determine current levels and needs
