Office of Special Education

SpEdPAC General Meeting

September 23, 2021

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Ethan d’Ablemont-Burnes, Assistant Superintendent of Special Education

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AGENDA

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• Team Meeting Format
• COVID-19 Compensatory Services
• Individual Student IEP Contingency Plan

TEAM MEETING FORMAT

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TEAM MEETING FORMAT

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As of 2021-22 school year, families have the option to have an in-person or virtual IEP team meeting as long as Boston Public Schools is able to follow all COVID-19 Safety protocols for in-person meetings.

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Please inform the Coordinator of Special Education assigned to your child’s school to state your preference.

COVID-19 COMPENSATORY SERVICES

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COVID-19 COMPENSATORY SERVICES [CCS]

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• We are continuing to work with Catapult to deliver compensatory services.
• We will be offering the following CCS options:
• virtually after-school
• in-person after-school
• in-person Saturdays
• in-person Vacation Academies
• Virtual Services will begin in the middle of October.

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• In-person services will begin when we are able to determine demand and transportation logistics.

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• If you think that your child requires compensatory services and the IEP Team has not met to discuss your child’s specific needs, you can contact the Coordinator of Special Education assigned to your child’s school.

INDIVIDUAL STUDENT IEP CONTINGENCY PLAN

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WHAT IS IT?

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As per DESE, the Individual Student IEP Contingency Plan is to be considered for students who are not able to come to school due to significant health and medical needs as determined by their health care physician. These students are immunocompromised and/or have significant respiratory issues and are not able to be vaccinated, and/or are too young for the vaccine. Based on the risk of the student being exposed to COVID-19, the student’s medical doctor (MD) has provided guidance to the family that the student is to remain home and limit exposure during this time.

CONSIDERATION PROCESS

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• Under the circumstances defined above, Boston Public Schools may need to provide services, which may include remote learning. These accommodations apply only to individual students with significant documented medical needs as defined above.
• BPS will work with families individually to accommodate the rare cases in which a sibling or family member is immunocompromised and additional precautions are required from the whole family. Remote learning may be an option for students in these families at a district’s discretion.
• Once the form is approved by your child’s medical doctor, the Home & Hospitals Instruction Program will determine if your child qualifies for:
• EdOptions Online Academy or
• Remote At-Home Instruction Supported by a BPS Tutor

THE FORMS(S)

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• Parent/guardian is to have the Physician’s Affirmation of Medical Reasons That Student is Likely to Remain at Home, in a Hospital, or in a Pediatric Nursing Home for More than 60 School Days completed by the medical doctor.
• Document: English | Español | العربية | Cabo-Verdiano | 中文 | Français | Kreyòl Ayisyen | Português | Soomaali | Tiếng Việt.
• Parent is to submit the above form along with the Home and Hospital Instruction COVID-19 Cover Sheet, SY 21-22, which will also provides a release for Boston Public Schools speak to the medical doctor.
• Document: English | Español | العربية | Cabo-Verdiano | 中文 | Français | Kreyòl Ayisyen | Português | Soomaali | Tiếng Việt
• Both forms are to be submitted to Home and Hospital for approval.
• To visit the Home & Hospitals website click here.

TEAM MEETING

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• Under 603 CMR 28.04(4), the Team must meet within 10 school days. During the reconvene meeting the team will discuss your child’s needs and, if appropriate, determine how services will be provided while your child is out of school due to medical reasons.
• If the doctor provides a date for your child to return to school, the Team will need to meet to update the IEP and to assist your child’s transition back to school. If at that time the doctor wants to extend your child’s time due to the exposure of COVID-19, the Physician's form will need to be updated.
• If a child has been receiving Home & Hospital instruction you do not need to go through this process, but you can expect to have a meeting to ensure appropriate services are in place.

Questions?

Please email specialeducation@bostonpublicschools.org or call (617) 635-8599 for any additional questions or concerns.