COVID-19 & K-12 Smart Restart - Updates & Parent Resources
This page contains information on the impact of the COVID-19 Coronavirus in education and schools from Federal and State education agencies.
There are also resources for parents on talking to children about the Coronavirus and keeping them safe.
Education & State Information for Parents
Information for Youth & Young Adults
Education & State Information for Professionals
Information for Parents
Special Education and COVID-19 Webinar
Pathfinder Services of ND
During a time of ever changing information and confusion, we find ourselves as parents wondering how the systems and agencies will manage Special Education Services. This webinar from Pathfinder Services of ND offers information of how it effects special education, as well as how parents can help their children during this time.
Early Intervention and COVID-19 Webinar
Pathfinder Services of ND
This webinar discusses what Early Intervention Services can look like during the COVID-19 outbreak. It includes fun ideas of things you can do in your home with younger children.
ESY, FAPE, and COVID-19
Pathfinder Services of ND
During the COVID-19 National Emergency, the ND Department of Public Instruction (NDDPI) and the US Department of Education (USDOE) have provided valuable guidance for parents and educators to ensure that ALL students will continue to have an equal opportunity to study and learn.
Early Childhood Transition and COVID-19
Pathfinder Services of ND
The COVID-19 national emergency has brought several changes to many parts of our lives. It is a time of big changes and transitions for ALL children and their families. For a child with a disability who is receiving early intervention services and turning three years old, an additional transition takes place for the child and their family.
Helping Your Child Wear a Face Mask: A Parent's Guide
Rutgers/The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities
Your child may have challenges or discomfort when wearing a face mask. After talking about the importance of face masks, ask your child about what might be bothersome and any preferences in type, color, or style. Once you understand, you can help work with your child to help make the face mask more comfortable to wear.
COVID-19 Resources
Parents Lead
Includes Talking to Your Child about COVID-19 Based on Their Age, resources for children, and other activities.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) and Children
CDC
Coronavirus: Latest Updates and Tips
Understood
This resource was created to make the health crisis easier to manage. There are tools and information to help at home, at school, and at work.They plan tol provide updates on issues that impact learning, special education, talking with kids, and the workplace.
DIY Activities for Families
Pathfinder Services of ND
Check out our new easy to do family friendly DIY activities. We have gathered a collection of activities that you can enjoy at home with your children.
Preparing Your Child with Disabilities for Distance Learning
PACER
Preparing to support your child with disabilities for distance learning may seem overwhelming right now. Here are some tips to help you and your child as you transition to this new educational environment.
Education & State Information for Parents
A Guide for K-12 Schools and Communities for the 2021-2022 School Year
US Department of Education
Updated information from the Department of Education
Back to School 2021-2022 (Guidance on COVID-19)
NDDPI
On this page, you will find the most recent guidance for virtual learning, masking, vaccinations, and other health and safety resources.
Long COVID under Section 504 and the IDEA: A Resource to Support Children, Students, Educators, Schools, Service Providers, and Families
OSEP
This resource shows how young children and students of all ages who have long COVID may be entitled to disability-related supports, services, and accommodations under Section 504 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
OSEP COVID-19 Questions & Answers: Implementation of IDEA Part B Dispute Resolution Procedures
OSEP
OSEP issued this Questions and Answers (Q&A) document in response to inquiries concerning implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B dispute resolution procedures in the current COVID-19 environment.
OSEP COVID-19 Questions & Answers: Implementation of IDEA Part C Dispute Resolution Procedures
OSEP
OSEP issued this Questions and Answers (Q&A) document in response to inquiries concerning implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C dispute resolution procedures in the current COVID-19 environment.
NDDPI Updates and Guidance on COVID-19
NDDPI
Official page from the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction.
North Dakota Department of Health's Coronavirus Site
NDDHS
Contains news updates and advice.
Information for Youth & Young Adults
Wearing a Face Mask: A COVID-19 Social Story For Adults with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities
Rutgers/The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities
This social story can help readers understand why face masks are important for themselves and others to wear. Supporters of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities can also use this resource to discuss the importance of face masks by printing or sharing with the person on a computer screen, tablet, or smartphone.
COVID-19 Information By and For People with Disabilities
Green Mountain Self-Advocates
Self-advocates created this guide for discussing the issue with people with disabilities and youngsters.
Resources for Kids
Helping Your Child Wear a Face Mask: A Parent's Guide
Rutgers/The Boggs Center on Developmental Disabilities
Your child may have challenges or discomfort when wearing a face mask. After talking about the importance of face masks, ask your child about what might be bothersome and any preferences in type, color, or style. Once you understand, you can help work with your child to help make the face mask more comfortable to wear.
Coronavirus: A Book for Children
Nosy Crow
Axel Scheffler has illustrated a digital book for primary school age children, free for anyone to read on screen or print out, about the coronavirus and the measures taken to control it. Published by Nosy Crow, and written by staff within the company, the book has had expert input: Professor Graham Medley of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine acted as a consultant, and the company also had advice from two head teachers and a child psychologist.
DIY Activities for Families
Pathfinder Services of ND
Check out our new easy to do family friendly DIY activities. We have gathered a collection of activities that you can enjoy at home with your children.
Resources for Professionals
Remote Education and Supporting Elementary and Secondary Students with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Pandemic
OSERS
How to develop clear plans of action for remote learning that meet the needs of their students with disabilities and their families and can be implemented in a consistent and supportive manner by school staff.
Teach from Home
Google
To support the millions of educators, Google for Education has created this hub of information and tools to help teachers during the coronavirus (COVID-19) crisis.
Education & State Information for Professionals
Long COVID under Section 504 and the IDEA: A Resource to Support Children, Students, Educators, Schools, Service Providers, and Families
OSEP
This resource shows how young children and students of all ages who have long COVID may be entitled to disability-related supports, services, and accommodations under Section 504 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act.
A Guide for K-12 Schools and Communities for the 2021-2022 School Year
US Department of Education
Updated information from the Department of Education
Guidance for COVID-19 Prevention in K-12 Schools
CDC
This CDC article offers guidance on COVID-19 prevention in kindergarten (K)-12 schools including promoting vaccination, mask use, and physical distancing.
COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 1: Strategies for Safely Reopening Elementary and Secondary Schools
US Department of Education
ED's handbook provides practical examples and roadmaps to provide educators and staff with the tools they need to implement CDC's recommended safe practices for in-person learning.
COVID-19 Handbook, Volume 2: Roadmap to Reopening Safely and Meeting All Students' Needs
US Department of Education
Provides additional strategies for safely reopening all of America's schools and to promote educational equity by addressing opportunity gaps that have been exacerbated by the pandemic.
NDDPI COVID-19 Altered Face Mask Guidance
NDDPI
As schools work on reopening plans, challenges for students and educators that may need altered masks may arise. Guidance regarding obtaining the altered masks is provided at this link.
COVID-19 Equitable Online Learning through the Lens of Student Needs
NDDPI
Supporting North Dakota students through distance learning requires thoughtful planning and includes the provision of accommodations and services detailed in student individualized education programs (IEPs) and 504 plans. The intent of this document is to provide ND administrators and educational teams with resources to assist in the planning and implementation of equitable distance learning services for all students.
NDDPI COVID-19 Special Education
NDDPI
Guidance for schools on providing special education services to children with disabilities during the Coronavirus outbreak.
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS)
This Questions and Answers document outlines statesââ¬â¢ responsibilities to infants, toddlers, and children with disabilities and their families, and to the staff serving these children.
Supplemental Fact Sheet Addressing the Risk of COVID-19 in Preschool, Elementary and Secondary Schools While Serving Children with Disabilities (3/21/2020)
U.S. Department of Education
Fact sheet on the topic.
OCR Webinar on Civil Rights and COVID-19
OCR
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education released this webinar covers the various civil rights issues that affect K-12 and Postsecondary Schools in light of the COVID-19 national emergency.
OCR Short Webinar on Online Education and Website Accessibility
OCR
The Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education released a webinar on ensuring web accessibility for students with disabilities for schools utilizing online learning during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
FERPA & Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Frequently Asked Questions
U.S. Department of Education
The Student Privacy Policy Office (SPPO) prepared this document to assist school officials working with public health officials in managing public health issues related to COVID-19, while protecting the privacy of studentsââ¬â¢ education records. Understanding FERPA helps enable school officials to act quickly and with certainty when confronting challenges that affect the health or safety of students or other individuals.
COVID-19 Frequently-Asked Questions: WIOA Performance Accountability Provisions
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Servicesââ¬â¢ Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
This is an initial frequently-asked questions document related to implementing performance accountability provisions under title I of the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) as State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies seek to provide continuity of operations for individuals with disabilities in the COVID-19 environment.
COVID-19 Frequently-Asked Questions: Vocational Rehabilitation (VR)
Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Servicesââ¬â¢ Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA)
The Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Servicesââ¬â¢ Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) issued a Questions and Answers document in response to inquiries from State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) agencies concerning the fiscal management of the VR program as it continues serving individuals with disabilities in the current Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) environment.
COVID-19 Extended School Year
NDDPI
This document is intended to assist IEP teams when it is time to consider ESY eligibility and future discussions of compensatory education.
OSEP COVID-19 Questions & Answers: Implementation of IDEA Part B Dispute Resolution Procedures
OSEP
OSEP issued this Questions and Answers (Q&A) document in response to inquiries concerning implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part B dispute resolution procedures in the current COVID-19 environment.
OSEP COVID-19 Questions & Answers: Implementation of IDEA Part C Dispute Resolution Procedures
OSEP
OSEP issued this Questions and Answers (Q&A) document in response to inquiries concerning implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C dispute resolution procedures in the current COVID-19 environment.
OSEP COVID-19 Questions & Answers: Implementation of IDEA Part C Evaluation and Assessment Timelines
OSEP
OSEP issued this Questions and Answers (Q&A) document in response to inquiries concerning implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C evaluation and assessment timelines in the current COVID-19 environment.
OSEP Part B Implementation of IDEA Provision of Services in the Current COVID-19 Environment Q&A Document
OSEP
Office of Special Education Programs has released a Q&A document to address questions about the implementation of IDEA Part B provision of services during COVID-19.