Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 23
FEATURE
ON SHAKY GROUND
Special Needs Education
in the Time of COVID
By Jeremy Conrad
W
hen millions of students around the country
prepared to transition to remote learning
in mid-March to prevent the spread of the
coronavirus, Laura Keehan met with school
administrators just a week prior to school closure to
establish an individualized education program (IEP) for
her eight-year-old son, who has been diagnosed as mild
to moderate on the autism spectrum.
iStock
Keehan's son has thrived, but her worries about
the long-term effects of this new learning
environment have not eased. "My main concern
with him is socialization because one of his
traits, I guess you could say, is awkwardness
within social situations. He's thrilled to be home.
He's happy and content here, not interacting,
but my biggest concern is his social devel-
opment," says the New York-based Keehan.
Meanwhile, preexisting concerns about
the current administration's commitment
to the federal protection of educational
rights were exacerbated by the ongoing threat
that the laws under which parents can seek
enforcement might be waived. Advocates
worry that schools may use the coronavirus
crisis as an opportunity to move the dial on
expectations.
Keehan's concerns are shared by advocates
for students with disabilities and the school
districts that serve them. Remote learning
poses significant and unique challenges to
providing a quality education to children
generally, but children with special needs
have been particularly impacted. Many of the
programs that serve their needs are difficult
or impossible to conduct remotely.
"The standards haven't changed," says Miriam
Rollin, director of the Education Civil Rights
Alliance at the National Center for Youth Law.
"Which is not to say that education under
COVID isn't going to look different, but the
standards required by the law haven't
changed."
A LOOK AT THE LAW
SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2020
*
WASHINGTON LAWYER 23
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020
Digital Extras
Your Voice
From Our President
Practice Management
ABA Delegates Corner
Calendar of Events
Re-Envisioning the Bar Exam feature
The New Normal in Legal Education feature
On Shaky Ground feature
How the Pandemic Has Transformed Courts Feature
The Science of Why Clients Ignore Counsel's Advice feature
Taking the Stand
On Further Review
The Learning Curve
Member Spotlight - Susan Biniaz
Member Spotlight - Whit Washington
Worth Reading
Attorney Briefs
Disciplinary Summaries
Speaking of Ethics
Pro Bono Effect
A Slice of Wry
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Cover1
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Cover2
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 1
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 2
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 3
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Digital Extras
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Your Voice
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - From Our President
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 7
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Practice Management
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 9
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - ABA Delegates Corner
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Calendar of Events
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Re-Envisioning the Bar Exam feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 13
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 14
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 15
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 16
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 17
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - The New Normal in Legal Education feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 19
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 20
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 21
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - On Shaky Ground feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 23
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 24
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 25
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - How the Pandemic Has Transformed Courts Feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 27
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 28
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 29
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 30
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 31
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - The Science of Why Clients Ignore Counsel's Advice feature
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 33
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 34
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 35
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 36
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 37
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Taking the Stand
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 39
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - On Further Review
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 41
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - The Learning Curve
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 43
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Member Spotlight - Susan Biniaz
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 45
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Member Spotlight - Whit Washington
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 47
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Worth Reading
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 49
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 50
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Disciplinary Summaries
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Speaking of Ethics
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 53
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Pro Bono Effect
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - 55
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - A Slice of Wry
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Cover3
Washington Lawyer - September/October 2020 - Cover4
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