Author(s)

Burleigh, C. L., Wilson, A. M., & Bean, E. (2023)

Year
2023
APA Citation

Burleigh, C. L., Wilson, A. M., & Bean, E. (2023). Public K-12 Education Response to Serving Special Education Students during COVID: A Content Analysis. Journal of the American Academy of Special Education Professionals, 32, 53.

Topics
Accelerated Learning
Target Population
Students with Disabilities and/or Students receiving special education services (504 or IEPs)
Grade Level
PreK/Childcare
Elementary: K-Grade 5
Middle: Grade 6-8
High: Grade 9-12
States
New Hampshire
Michigan
Vermont
Abstract

From the onset of COVID-19, public K-12 schools were scrambling to keep classrooms open virtually providing all students with meaningful learning experiences. This study provides a synthesis of insights gained about K-12 special education service provision during COVID. A content analysis benchmarking approaches to serving special education K-12 students during COVID-19 included a review of current literature, government, state documentation, and public advocacy data revealed the complexities of this issue. When services are not provided, the school is out of compliance, directly affecting students’ educations and the funding the school district receives to support special education programs. Furthermore, when school districts lacked the forethought to anticipate the unexpected or address how to serve students remotely, students were left to fend for themselves. This disruption in legally mandated services detrimentally affected these students and their special education teachers, paraprofessionals, parents, as well as caregivers.