Back To School

Maryland State Department of Education Technical Assistance Bulletin: Tips to Support Concurrent Virtual and Face to Face Instruction

Recovery Efforts: Addressing the Provision of FAPE through Alternative Service Delivery Models for Students with Disabilities during the Re-Opening of Schools

This document has been developed in alignment with Technical Assistance Bulletin (TAB) #20-01,
Serving Children with Disabilities under IDEA during School Closures due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
and TAB #20-03, Providing Continuity of Learning to Students with Disabilities during COVID-19.

Understanding terms is important. Use this factsheet to understand the difference between home school, home and hospital instruction, and remote learning.

Use this factsheet to understand what it means to truly have Free and Appropriate Public Education.

School has started which means there are many policies and guidance being sent. Here is a quick one-pager to remind you of the importance of your child’s IEP.

PPMD collaborated with TIES Center to bring you a factsheet that will help you ask questions to your child’s school team to support your child’s behaviors at home during distance learning.

Its Back to School Time! During this time of COVID when so many parents are figuring out and doing a great job around virtual learning, others are also thinking about transition. Transition planning is as important as reading and math. It is important for you, as the family of a student with a disability, to actively participate and partner in the transition planning process. In this video, we will provide you with Five helpful tips for developing a strong transition plan that will help your student with disabilities achieve their greatest potential. For questions about transition please contact The Parents’ Place of Maryland at 1-800-394-5694.

This checklist can be used to help you decide if you are comfortable with your child returning to school
in-person. Discuss your concerns with your child’s health care provider and school team.

The Council for Exceptional Children released an article about considerations for special educators and children as school reopens during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read this article to learn what your family and your child’s school team should consider before school begins this fall.

​​​​​​​With the start of a new school year, a lot needs to happen so that students can learn and thrive without raising the risk of spreading COVID-19. Read this article to learn what your child’s school can do to ensure children will be safe.

The American Academy of Pediatrics issued a guidance for school re-entry during the COVID-19 pandemic. Read it here to learn what school re-entry policies should consider before re-opening.

The CDC created this resource for families to use before their children go back to school. Back to school planning will look different this year than it has in previous years. Your school will have new policies in place to prevent the spread of COVID-19. You may also be starting the school year with virtual learning components. Whatever the situation, these checklists are intended to help parents, guardians, and caregivers, plan and prepare for the upcoming school year.

The CDC developed this tool to help parents, caregivers, and guardians weigh the risks and benefits of available educational options to help them make decisions about sending their child back to school.

This guide has practical strategies that work for helping children of all ages who may be struggling with an at-home learning task. Families may find these strategies useful when helping their children complete various reading, math, and/or behavioral tasks at home.

Watch this webinar to learn how to track your child’s progress while engaging in virtual learning from home.

IEP meetings will still be held despite not being able to meet in person. Read these tips on how to prepare and take part in a virtual IEP meeting.

Your phone carrier may allow you to set up a mobile hotspot through your smartphone at a lower cost to help with your internet needs during COVID-19. Use this guide to help set up your mobile hotspot on your android or iPhone.

PPMD has created a factsheet with helpful hints for getting your child to wear a face mask.

The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities at the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School created these resources for parents to support their children in wearing face masks.

Use this resource to learn tips for distance learning if you have young children.

Some schools are using Dreambox Learning – find out what you need to know about this tool.

Your children are likely being asked to access learning via Google Classroom.  Here’s a great resource (in parent friendly language!)

PPMD has created three new resource pages to help parents prepare their children to participate effectively for Zoom classes and Tele-therapy. The resource pages focus on how to use Zoom, Zoom etiquette, and preparing for a virtual meeting.