The Texas Education Agency reorganized its COVID-19 Support: Special Education webpage last week. The revised site, which can be accessed here, now includes a direct link to the COVID19 Special Education Q&A, as well as links to four areas dedicated to: General Guidance Instructional Supports Parent Resources Instructional Continuity Framework As of April 23rd the […]
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Below are today’s updates regarding COVID-19 and its impact on Texas public schools. For additional resources, please visit our COVID-19 page. TEA Special Education and Special Populations Updates for the Week of April 13, 2020 Dean Micknal, Partner The Texas Education Agency has continued to post and revise guidance regarding Special Education and Special Populations […]
Read moreBelow are today’s updates regarding COVID-19 and its impact on Texas public schools. For additional resources, please visit our COVID-19 page. Documenting Temporary SPED Services Dean Micknal, Partner; Victoria Elliott, Associate During the current pandemic, public school districts have an ongoing obligation to provide FAPE to students with disabilities. Therefore, district personnel need to attempt […]
Read moreNew special-education guidance has been issued by TEA pertaining to the many issues that school districts are currently grappling with. That guidance reiterates that state and federal laws do not provide any flexibility to districts in times of emergency regarding the obligation to provide a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) to students receiving special […]
Read moreA school district was found to have denied FAPE to a student when it failed to provide any IDEA services after the student was expelled from school for attacking another student. What is FAPE, under IDEA? Under IDEA, a free appropriate public education (FAPE) is special education and related services that: Are provided at public […]
Read moreBy Victoria Elliott, Associate In a world where high school and college degrees are everything and hard work is often overlooked, students in special education or those students who struggle to pass end-of-year assessments are already at a disadvantage. In the past, these students could not graduate high school with an endorsement if they were […]
Read moreIn addition to being ineffective, disciplining a student for conduct that is caused by, or has a direct and substantial relation to a student’s disability, constitutes disability-based discrimination. Further, subjecting a student to a disciplinary removal that is based on the student’s disability can deprive a student of a free, appropriate public education when it […]
Read moreThe Federal Commission on School Safety recently issued its Final Report. A copy of the full report can be accessed via the Commission’s website here. The Report has made early headlines primarily due to its criticism of the Obama Administration’s “Rethink School Discipline” guidance, which included rules targeting exclusionary discipline and requiring the application of […]
Read moreDid you know parents do not have a right to compel a school district to provide specific programming or employ specific methodology when teaching students with disabilities? According to a Special Education Hearing Officer’s interpretation of the IDEA, parents may provide meaningful input into the development of their child’s IEP, but are not entitled to […]
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