USED/OSEP Guidance

Return to School Roadmap: Development and Implementation of IEPs in the Least Restrictive Environment

Adding to its Return to School Roadmap series, the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) at the U.S. Department of Education issues this Q&A document, which highlights certain IDEA requirements related to the development and implementation of IEPs and other information that states, school systems, regular and special education teachers, related services providers, and parents should consider as students with disabilities return to school in Fall 2021.

The 41-page document is the Department’s response to the requests it received from a diverse group of stakeholders, asking that the Department issue new guidance interpreting requirements of the IDEA in light of the many challenges of the COVID‑19 pandemic and as more schools and programs are returning to in-person services. Read more about the Q&A, see its Table of Contents, and access it (and other documents in the Roadmap series) in our abstract of this Featured Resource.

Roadmaps to Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools

The U.S. Department of Education has released two handbooks to assist states, schools, and communities in safely reopening America’s schools for in-person learning of students, including those with disabilities. Volume 1, Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools, focuses on health and safety measures that schools can use to successfully implement the CDC’s K-12 Operational Strategy guidelines. Volume 2, Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students’ Needs, spotlights research-based strategies for addressing the social, emotional, mental-health, and academic impacts of the pandemic on students, educators, and staff.

To learn more about each volume, see the Table of Contents for both, and access the handbooks, come here.

Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools

(2021, February) | Useful for sharing with PTAs, families, community organizations involved in educational issues, and school leadership staff. COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 1: Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools comes from the U.S. Department of Education. The 26-page handbook begins with a summary of CDC’s operational strategies and steps for safe school reopening. […]

COVID-19 Info in Other Languages

  New resources added during the week of August 24-31, 2020. Note: A date in parentheses means the publication date of that resource, not the date we posted it here. This is to let you see at a glance how current the information is.   Updated as of August 31, 2020 This page of resources […]

Q&A on Dispute Resolution in Part B and Part C During COVID-19

(2020, June 22) | Useful to Parent Centers, state education agencies, state lead agencies, and Part B and Part C programs regarding dispute resolution   On June 22, 2020, the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) at the U.S. Department of Education issued two question-and-answer guidances on dispute resolution in Parts B and C during […]

Q&A on Use of Part B and Part C Funds During COVID-19

(2020, June 25) | Useful to Parent Centers, school districts, state lead agencies and education agencies about use of IDEA funds   On June 25, 2020, the U.S. Department of Education issued several Q&A guidances on the use of IDEA funds in a COVID-19 environment. These are: IDEA Part B Use of Funds in COVID-19 […]

Coronavirus Guidance from the Federal Government

  New resources added during the week of July 6-10, 2020. Note: A date in parentheses means the publication date of that resource, not the date we posted it here. This is to let you see at a glance how current the information is.   Updated as of July 10, 2020 This page of resources […]

Request for Comments | Proposed Revisions to SPP/APR Data Collection

The Department of Education (ED) is soliciting comments on proposed revisions to the data collected via the State Performance Plan (SPP) and the Annual Performance Report (APR). Each state must file the SPP/APR with the Department for both Parts B and C of IDEA. These are the parts of the law that authorize special education and related services for children with disabilities (Part B) and early intervention services for infants and toddlers with disabilities (Part C). Among other changes, the Department is proposing to establish a new 6-year SPP cycle (FFY 2020 through FFY 2025). Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before April 20, 2020. Read more about this request for comment and connect with what’s proposed for Parts B and C here.