LEARNING LOSS

California parents, are you aware that your school district, according to SB 98, is receiving extra funding to support pupil achievement and mitigate learning loss due to COVID-19 school closures? How do we prove learning loss? Here are some suggestions for California school children with special needs:

Keep Track of Missed Service Times

1. It is now required that remote learning hours/schedules and services are included in your child’s IEP. Keep track of missed service times from your original IEP. It is important you also keep track when services are not being provided by a certified licensed teacher or service provider. As helpful as Aides can be, they are not teachers.

How Will the District Address Learning Loss?

2. Ask what actions and strategies the school district will use to address learning loss and accelerate students’ learning progress as needed. Is this written into your child’s IEP?

Progress Monitoring

3. Districts are required to assess if your student is making progress in English language arts, English language development, and mathematics. Many districts use I-Ready or Lexia for progress monitoring. Ask your District what progress monitoring they are using? Ask for copies of these assessments.

Document

4. As you are working with your student, do you see regression or lack of meaningful progress? Make sure to document your observations and concerns via email to your case carrier. Document if your district is not effectively implementing your child’s IEP through the Distance Learning Model. You will need proof of learning regression to seek compensatory services for the failure of FAPE potentially. 

SB 98

5. They are mitigating learning loss. SB 98 specifies that certain funds shall be used for activities that directly support pupil academic achievement and reduce learning loss related to COVID-19 school closures: (a) must close learning gaps thru enhancement of supports and intensive instruction, (b) Extend the instructional school day, increasing the number of instructional minutes, increase the number of services, © providing additional academic services for pupils, such as diagnostic assessments of pupil learning needs, intensive instruction for addressing gaps in core academic skills, and (4) Provide supports to address other barriers of learning, such as health, counseling, or mental health services, professional development opportunities to help teacher AND parents support pupils in distance-learning contexts, including social-emotional learning.