The UFT heard from many members about their frustrations with the paperwork demands created by the Department of Education’s Special Education Remote Learning Service Plan. After relaying those concerns, we were able to convince the DOE to extend the deadline for creating a plan to April 3 and change the responsibilities for all related service providers and special education teachers regarding the plan requirements.

The bottom line: No forms must be completed by the end of the day Thursday, March 19.

The DOE has also agreed that you no longer have to use the original form. However, if you have already completed the form, it can be used as a reference at a later date.

We will share additional information and guidance the week of March 23.

For the details, please see the memo below that the DOE sent to all principals and Borough/Citywide Offices on Wednesday, March 18.

We recognize these are extraordinary times and appreciate all your efforts to figure out how to provide remote support to students with disabilities in such a short time frame.

Remote Learning Service Plan Update Regarding IEPs (Deadline extended to April 3, 2020)

• While building our teachers’ capacity to deliver instruction and services remotely, please ensure that the parents or families of students with IEPs are contacted via phone early in the week of Monday, March 23, 2020.
• During this call, staff will:
  • Review the services in the child’s IEP and share the current expectations for service delivery, and
  • Gather information from the parent or family member regarding the child’s remote learning environment and any considerations that impact service delivery.
• After contact is made and the call is completed, staff will document the date on which contact was made with each family in the SESIS event log.
• Service providers will begin services next week (the week of Monday, March 23, 2020), get accustomed to the remote environment, and share best practices.

If staff have already completed the forms, they should hold on to them and use them as a reference. Further updated guidance on the completion and submission of Remote Learning Plans will be provided next week (the week of Monday, March 23, 2020).

If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us.