Focused on Students with Disabilities, Education Department Addresses New COVID Recommendations

By William J. Zee & Megan E. Bomba

March 25, 2022

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) issued a letter from Secretary Miguel Cardona to educators and parents regarding the new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations and their impact on students with disabilities. The letter discusses ways to leverage individualized education plans and Section 504 plans to protect in-person learning, continuing to use multiple layers of mitigation, and ensuring students receive services in the least restrictive educational environment.

“We hope this document serves as a helpful resource and source of information for educators, families, and school communities on how to effectively include students with disabilities in in-person learning,” wrote Secretary Cardona.

This is the first guidance document from the ED addressing the needs of students during the COVID-19 pandemic since the new resource for mental health support was released in October 2021.

Should you have any questions about the recommendations in the guidance or any other student-related issues, please do not hesitate to contact William J. Zee or any of the attorneys in the Appel, Yost & Zee Education Group.