Special Education Guidance for COVID-19

This page provides resources for Washington State schools and districts to guide decisions and provision of FAPE for students receiving special education during the COVID pandemic.

 

Special Education Resources for Families during COVID
  • Family Information Session: Secondary Transition Services | Recording | Presentation slides Posted 6/3/21
    This information session for families on May 24, 2021 reviewed guidance on transition recovery services for students of transition age, including options for students over age 21. For specific questions on transition recovery services, families may call 360-725-6075 or email OSPI Special Education.

Arabic | Chinese | Hindi | Khmer | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Ukrainian | Vietnamese

  • Special Education Guidance Brief for In-Person Learning: Spring 2021 Published 1/20/2021
    The purpose of this resource is to review guidance and recommendations to schools and families about providing in-person special education services across all grade levels, preschool to age 21. This document opens with a review of guidance, follows with a planning checklist, and closes with some related resource links. To support family and community engagement throughout the educational process, the guidance has been translated into twelve additional languages:

Arabic | Chinese | Hindi | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Ukrainian | Vietnamese

Special Education Planning Supports for School and IEP Teams during COVID

In collaboration with the special education team, school apportionment and financial services has compiled a questions and answers document around claiming funding for transition recovery services.

This information session for districts provides an overview of Special Education Recovery Services and Transition Recovery Services for students with disabilities, including students beyond age 21.

  • Washington's Roadmap for Special Education Recovery Services: 2021 & Beyond Published 5/7/2021
    The purpose of this resource is to help Individualized Education Program (IEP) teams determine recovery services needed for students with disabilities due to the impact of COVID-19 and is supplemental to OSPI general education guidance. Recovery Services is a term used by OSPI to describe the special education and related services and supports provided to students with disabilities to address the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and spring 2020 school facility closures.

To support family and community engagement throughout the recovery services process, this guidance has been translated into twelve additional languages:

Arabic | Chinese | Hindi | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Ukrainian | Vietnamese

  • Special Education Guidance Brief for In-Person Learning: Spring 2021 Published 1/20/2021
    The purpose of this resource is to review guidance and recommendations to schools and families about providing in-person special education services across all grade levels, preschool to age 21. This document opens with a review of guidance, follows with a planning checklist, and closes with some related resource links. To support family and community engagement throughout the educational process, the guidance has been translated into twelve additional languages:

Arabic | Chinese | Hindi | Korean | Marshallese | Punjabi | Russian | Somali | Spanish | Tagalog | Ukrainian | Vietnamese

  • Special Education Reopening Guidance: LRE Case Study Updated 9/29/2020
    This resource outlines case studies for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) and related services across school reopening models, including considerations for identifying settings and least restrictive environment (LRE). The case studies examples include elementary, middle school and behavior, secondary transition, and preschool. There is also an appendix with frequently asked questions.

This resource outlines case studies for providing specially designed instruction (SDI) and related services across school reopening models, including considerations for identifying settings and least restrictive environment (LRE). The case studies examples include elementary, middle school and behavior, secondary transition, and preschool. There is also an appendix with frequently asked questions.

Q&A Provision of Services to Students with Disabilities

This Q&A resource has been updated as of 10/4/2021. See the last section of the Q&A for a list of questions that have been added, deleted, or revised since the last update (7/12/21). The Q&A includes information for districts, educators, and families on FAPE for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic to include: provision of services, early childhood considerations, secondary transition considerations, child care, communication with families, timelines, fiscal considerations, and additional resources. Information in the Q&A will be updated frequently to reflect current guidance as it is released. If you have questions, please contact Glenna Gallo, Assistant Superintendent of Special Education, or call at 360-725-6075.

Early Childhood Special Education Guidance

In partnership with the Washington State Early Childhood Special Education Coordination Team, OSPI Special Education has developed guidance on the Provision of Services to Children with Disabilities in Early Childhood Programs during School Facility Closure. The guidance document addresses early childhood transition from IDEA, Part C to Part B, including the role of school districts in the initial eligibility process. Other topics include child outcome summary (COS) entry and exit ratings, and considerations for students transitioning to kindergarten during a school facility closure. For additional information, please email Ryan Guzman, OSPI Early Childhood Special Education Coordinator.

Additional Guidance & Resources from OSPI
Information & Resources from Outside OSPI

Information from the U.S. Department of Education

Other Resources