Along with many areas around the world, Washington state is experiencing an expanding outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel coronavirus (COVID-19). Several schools have closed operations in order to prevent further spread of the virus. The resources in the attached Parent Guide are intended to help parents, guardians, and families understand the school’s role during a closure, commitments to students, and what making days up at the end of the school year looks like.
If a district has extended school closures, the district will remain responsible for the free appropriate public education (FAPE) of its students eligible for special education services with an individualized education program (IEP). Districts should be communicating with parents and guardians prior to, during, and after a school closure regarding their child’s IEP services. After an extended closure, districts are responsible for reviewing how the closure impacted the delivery of special education and related services to students eligible for special education services. Please note, if a school closure causes educational services for all students to pause within a school or district, then the school/district is generally not required to provide services to the affected students eligible for special education services during that same period of time.
Several area schools have sent closure notices that don’t seem to comply with a bulletin issued by Superintendent of Public Instruction(attached below). WAAA has reached out to Glenna Gallo, Assistant Superintendent, OSPI Special Education, for additional clarification, with an upcoming appointment on March 17th. We’ll bring you additional details shortly after.