correct. outside of the large metropolitan areas internet can be tough to come by. at least reliable internet.

Well we were just updated on what this is going to look like for us. I still have no idea how it is going to work.

Grade levels and content area groups will be expected to develop lessons consistent with what students would be currently learning in their classes. These will be uploaded to the web and then hard copies will be made for those who have internet access.

Sounds all well and good, but a very low percentage of kids who have no internet are going to do any of this crap.

On the positive side of things they have put together a meal distribution center for kids where they can get free meals every day that the school is closed. That is something we should be investing time. Not packets of worthless worksheets.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

My HS sophomore has already told me this blows and he wants the school day back.
My college student is likely tanking.

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It'll vary for people. I took college courses through the Canvas Platform and believe there is more rigor to it than say Google Classroom. Checking out other resources to use once Spring Break ends such as Newsela, Edpuzzle, and a few others. A large percentage of my students checked in and did the review assignment as of 8 pm, and I was glad to see that.

_________________
An unjust law is no law at all--St. Augustine of Hippo

Cause tried and true
I see the light in you
Oh, can you dig in my soul?
Could you smell my whole...
life?--Gener and Deaner

New name starting March 31st is "Remote Instructional Days". I guess these days are going to count toward grades.

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Yeah, working on how I'm going to categorize what was once, assessments, homework, and classwork. I have a general idea but am awaiting guidance from admin.

_________________
An unjust law is no law at all--St. Augustine of Hippo

Cause tried and true
I see the light in you
Oh, can you dig in my soul?
Could you smell my whole...
life?--Gener and Deaner

LMAO....

Carmen is such a moron. She’s making this whole process infinitely more difficult.
That being said....I don’t see that in the new guidance from ISBE?

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Union sent out a message earlier today and it is also in the Tribune right now.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavi ... story.html

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Gotcha. “Contemplates” and “eventually” are big words there.

It’s not in the ISBE directive sent out to admins tonight.

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But I stand by my comments about Carmen. Boy do I have some stories....

Special education laws are really mucking this whole thing up. How can a school meet the needs of every special ed student, as mandated in their IEP, when....the student’s entire educational environment literally flipped upside down in a matter of days? It’s impossible for schools to mandate online learning without meeting the legally mandated needs of those students....yet we are all stuck at home.

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And while we are on the topic (speaking to a very small audience on this one)

Regularly scheduled IEP meetings must also take place, as scheduled, if online learning is required.
So.....skype/zoom conferences within the mandated deadlines.

Fun. Almost impossible to complete.

edit: spelling error

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I thought we called them diverse learners today?

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Be well

GO BEARS!!!

I’m waiting for the new directive to come out tomorrow.

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I teach Special Education in high school here. This has been my biggest question in all of this e learning and virtual stuff. No one seems to have a very good answer. I was told I am to contact my students by email and phone to let them know that I am available to help them with any issues they have while completely any work during this time. But ultimately I do not think it is going to be a major issue here because knowing our students I highly doubt many of them do any of the e learning during this down time.

Thankfully I only have one IEP meeting left for the school year and it is probably the best student on my case load and I am sure that a video conference will be fine with no issues.

It is quite the ordeal. Our Spec Ed director is retiring at the end of this year and I am sure he is wishing he went out last year instead o having to wade thru this mess.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

It will really only come up if a student with an IEP starts to do worse with online learning and the teacher will not give in. I can't see many teachers being too difficult right now. Even the ones who seem to enjoy conflict.

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The law says you must meet the accommodations as stated in the IEP....
But look at many of the accommodations that appear in commonly in IEPs. It’s literally impossible to do.
But if you don’t do it, you’re breaking the law.

Schools/districts/states are constantly changing their directives every day on what to do....but it’s ultimately a federal law, so.....here we are.
It’s maddening. And like I said earlier, it affects every student, not just those with an IEP.

My personal opinion, here is the best (but not great) solution:

Fed says “that’s it, school is over for this year. Grades are frozen at this point. Everyone spend your time adjusting your curriculums for next year for an entire group of kids that are 1/4 year behind”.

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Yeah I think you are right, I do not see any other solution. But who knows things change so quickly with this whole deal.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

This is wrong. And keep in mind, right now no student can do worse. This issue has been the main speed bump for the last 10 days of planning.

It will ALWAYS come up from the parents the most. The ones who are sticklers for deadlines and crossing T's and dotting I's and looking to "gotcha" the school/team.
The ones who drag every single IEP meeting that should be simple and done in 20 minutes, into several meetings over several weeks.

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Yes. Every couple hours...it changes.

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It is not wrong. You can't even complain right now since nothing technically counts. Once it does count there can be problems.

The ones looking to jam up the school are typically the ones who are not doing well. I have never received a complaint about an IEP or 504 from a parent with a student who was getting an A.

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This is also wrong.

Right now, this very minute and the previous days, if a district is "requiring" their students to do e-learning, then they are required to meet all of the accommodations in the IEP, however they can. Districts can just "take their chances" and hope nobody brings it up, but the law is the law.

Trust me.
Lots of long conference calls with Carmen, JB, and lawyers.

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Unfortunately I have...just this year. Girl is going really well in all of her classes yet mom and dad have demanded 5 IEP meetings over the course of this school year. And now that I think about it I would not be surprised to hear that they want another one with all this going on. It is crazy. They pick apart every single thing. They have really created an entitled monster. I watched this girl in one of those meetings scream at our Spec Ed director that we are causing her undo stress because she got a 90 on an assignment and that was not fair that she deserved a 100. She really does not even need any help at all, she is very capable. This family is going to get a gut punch when she gets to college and they are not able to manipulate every part of the process.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Yeah, this is not realistic either.

What district do you work for again? Many of the worst IEP parents are the ones who have high performing students, in my MANY years of experience as both an admin and a teacher...plus I know a pretty good resource in this area.

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The issue of "required" maybe what helps us here...but I guess it depends on how that is defined. Our admin has said teachers need to provide learning opportunities for all core classes either thru virtual platforms or through hard copy packets that can be picked up by parents. But that nothing is to be taken for a grade. Which is why I do not think many students...esp our Sped students... will do much of it.

_________________
"He is a loathsome, offensive brute
--yet I can't look away."

Yes.....this is what is causing the chaos in the directives.

These people usually have (free) lawyers that are willing to clog things up, if needed.

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This is the "out" for any district that is handling this the right way, IMO.
You aren't requiring e-learning. You are essentially providing online resources and sped "help", assuming that teachers are available online.

According to the attorneys, this is how you get out of HAVING to provide sped accommodations.

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What day do they cover this one?

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i can't even imagine the IEP mess that you all are in. i went through a training because i needed hours for our foster license last year. it was on IEP's and working with the schools. some of the people in the class were relentless and seemed liek the exact opposite of people you'd want to deal with. from an outsiders perspective it seems like teacher get caught in the middle of bureaucracy

68-page (!) directive forthcoming from ISBE....

Expect an extended closure. Probably for a long time.

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I honestly do not believe we are going back this year except to pack up our rooms. I'm going to guess (based on nothing) we do e learning till May 1 and then the state shuts down the year like Alabama, Virginia, and Kansas.

_________________
An unjust law is no law at all--St. Augustine of Hippo

Cause tried and true
I see the light in you
Oh, can you dig in my soul?
Could you smell my whole...
life?--Gener and Deaner