Special-Ed-Advocacy-Webinar - Special Education Needs - Best Practices in a Time of Crisis

Sep 16, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan

Webinar agenda and presenter materials address best practices for supporting children with special education needs during a crisis, with emphasis on families, education rights holders, and caregivers. Content covers time-of-crisis topics, rights of disabled students during the COVID-19 pandemic, and follow-up best practices after the pandemic, including retention and promotion. Additional guidance includes logistics for webinars, submission of questions via dashboard, and resources for emotional support and emergency coping.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages86

Reading Time30 min

AccessFree to download

Logistics

Agenda

Presenters

Q & A

Rights and Best Practices During a Crisis

Advocating for Special Education Needs Best Practices to Support Children in a Time of Crisis April 2020 Logistics 􀁸 Webinars are recorded and archived at [http://kids-alliance.org/webinars/](http://kids-alliance.org/webinars/) 􀁸 Email Ines Rosales at i. rosales@kids[alliance.org](alliance.org) if you experience technical difficulties 􀁸 Slides and certificate of participation will be posted at [http://kids](http://kids)[alliance.org/webinars/](alliance.org/webinars/) 􀁸 All attendees are muted during webinar 􀁸 Please submit questions using the“Questions” function on your GotoWebinar dashboard Agenda 􀁸 Time of Crisis 􀁸 Rights of Disabled Students During COVID- 19 Pandemic 􀁸 Best Practices for Families 􀁸 Best Practices Post-Pandemic 􀁸 Best Practices for Education Rights Holders & Caregivers 􀁸 Focus on Retention & Promotion 􀁸 Summary of Federal and State Advocacy 􀁸 Resources 􀁸 Q & A Presenters 􀁸 Marisol Garcia, Managing Attorney/Director, Mental Health Advocacy Program for Kids at Health Law Advocates, Boston, MA • Mark Rodgers, Director of Student Services, Bonita Unified School District • Jill Rowland, Education Program Director, Alliance for Children’s Rights • Angie Schwartz, Vice President of Policy and Advocacy, Alliance for Children’s Rights EO N-26-20 ✓ Continue delivering highquality educational opportunities to students through other options, distance learning and independent study; ✓ Safely provide school meals through the Summer Food Service Program and Seamless Summer Option, consistent with the requirements of CDE and USDA; ✓ To the extent practicable, arrange for supervision for students during ordinary school hours ✓ Continue to pay employees. “Closing schools has a massive, cascading effect for our kids and their families– especially those least equipped financially to deal with them. The needs of California kids must be met regardless of whether their school is open or closed. School districts that choose to close must use state educational dollars to quickly meet the needs of children and families. The State of California is working around the clock to help those districts and provide best practices to ensure no kid is left behind,”said Governor Newsom. Statement on 2019-20 School Year Amid Current School Safety Concerns “Due to the current safety concerns and needs for ongoing social distancing, it currently appears that our students will not be able to return to school campuses before the end of the school year. In order to allow schools to plan accordingly, and to ensure that learning still occurs until the end of the school year, we are suggesting that schools plan and prepare to have their curriculum carried out through a distance learning model. This is in no way to suggest that school is overfor the year, but rather we should put all efforts into strengthening our delivery of education through distance learning.” -State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tony Thurmond [https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel16.asp](https://www.cde.ca.gov/nr/ne/yr20/yr20rel16.asp) [https://www.cdc.gov/childrenindisasters/helping-children-cope.html](https://www.cdc.gov/childrenindisasters/helping-children-cope.html) Helping Children Cope with Emergencies 􀁸 Regardless of your child’s age, he or she may feel upset or have other strong emotions after an emergency. Some children react right away, while others may show signs of difficulty much later. How a child reacts and the common signs of distress can vary according to the child’s age, previous experiences, and how the child typically copes with stress. 􀁸 Children react, in part, on what they see from the adults around them. When parents and caregivers deal with a disaster calmly and confidently, they can provide the best support for their children. 􀁸 People can become more distressed if they see repeated images of a disaster in the media. Early on, consider limiting the amount of exposure yo

FAQs

What key rights do children with disabilities have during the COVID-19 period?

Children with disabilities have the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). Schools must provide an Individualized Education Program (IEP) calculated to enable progress appropriate to the child’s circumstances.

How can families support children emotionally during emergencies?

Children may feel upset or show strong emotions after an emergency, with reactions varying by age and prior experience. Parents and caregivers should deal with disasters calmly and limit repeated exposure to disaster images in the media.

What practical logistics are included for attending the webinar?

Webinars are recorded and archived online, attendees are muted during the session, and questions should be submitted through the “Questions” function on the GoToWebinar dashboard.

Sep 16, 2026

Uploaded by Rowan