On August 6, 2020, DESE met with school districts to inform them that parent engagement was "crucial" and that planning for student services should have 2 steps: (1) schools need to contact parents ASAP to discuss how the services in a student’s IEP CAN be delivered given restrictions and protocols for returning to school; and (2) schools need to contact the parents in writing at the beginning of school with a plan, based on the discussions, on how a student’s services WILL BE delivered.
My advice? (See my Disclaimer about information on my webpage) Be prepared! Look over your child's most recent IEP and look at the goals and service delivery grid. What are the services that your child receives and in what setting? Have an idea what those services will look like in a socially distanced setting? Be open to the school's ideas, but be prepared with ideas of your own. Remember, DESE is telling the schools that parent engagement is "crucial" because DESE knows that this is brand new territory, you know your child best, and together maybe you can come up with a great plan to receive the special education and related services contained in your child's IEP.
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