New Orleans, Louisiana Jun 22, 2021 (Issuewire.com) - Blue Engine and SPED Strategies, two organizations on a mission to improve outcomes for students who think and learn differently, announce the release of three learning recovery reports designed to improve outcomes for students with disabilities. A year after the first school closures, there is a need to address widespread learning loss and to ensure equity and inclusion in learning recovery.
Students who are historically underserved in usual circumstances were disproportionately affected by school closures. In fact, students with disabilities are among the groups of students who are most likely to regress due to the COVID-19 pandemic.1 This is especially true for low-income students of color who have disabilities.
The reports suggest constructive ways to address inequities. They recommend three distinct approaches to help school districts intentionally build equity measures into their learning recovery plans. These include:
1) Tutoring: Most school systems will be rolling out large-scale tutoring. These programs must be designed to support students with disabilities and be explicitly responsive to children with special needs. Read the report.
2) Therapies & Supports: Individualize therapies and support services to accelerate grade-level learning. Double-down on high-quality curriculum and instruction. Read the report.
3) High-Quality Instruction & Materials: When students with disabilities struggle, the typical response is to reduce instructional rigor and segregate them from their general education peers. Instead, ensure these students have access to grade-level content and instruction. Read the report.
School disruptions and lost instruction have disproportionally impacted our most vulnerable youth.2 This includes students with disabilities and students with disabilities who are low-income, Black and/or Latino and thus subject to systemic disadvantages. Ensuring equity and inclusion when planning learning recovery for these and all students will help districts meet their legal requirements and provide them equal access to learning that all students deserve.
1. Grant, C. (2021) COVID-19's Impact on Students with Disabilities in Under-Resourced School Districts Fordham Urban Law Journal, Vol. 48, No. 127. Duke Law School Public Law & Legal Theory Series No. 2021-08, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3766340
2. Jackson, D., & Bowdon, J. (2020). COVID Survey Spotlight on Students with Disabilities. American
Institutes For Research, October, 1-11. Retrieved 14 June 2021, from https://www.air.org/sites/
default/files/COVID-Survey-Spotlight-on-Students-with-Disabilities-FINAL-Oct-2020.pdf
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About Blue Engine and SPED Strategies:
Blue Engine implements an evidence-based team teaching model to accelerate learning for all students, particularly those who are low-income, Black and/or Latino, and thus subject to systemic disadvantages. Students in our classrooms report high satisfaction and demonstrate outsized academic growth. More
SPED Strategies works to advance educational equity for students with disabilities. We help education leaders connect the dots between policy, funding, and academics to ensure every student receives an excellent education in an environment where they grow and thrive. More
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