Reduction in school individualized education program (IEP) services during the COVID-19 pandemic

Belinda Chen; Patrick Rasmussen; Mallory Legg; Nicole Alexander; Pooja Vedmurthy; Akua Asiedu; Mihee Bay; Harolyn Belcher; Vera Joanna Burton; Charles Conlon; Amena Fine; Ryan Gill; Eboni I Lance; Paul Lipkin; Joyce Wong; Anna Maria Wilms Floet; Sarah C Doerrer; Jennifer Glattfelder; Amy Kordek; Julie Pertman; Rachel Murray; T Andrew Zabel; Anne M Comi; Mary L Leppert

doi:10.3389/fresc.2022.962893

Reduction in school individualized education program (IEP) services during the COVID-19 pandemic

Front Rehabil Sci. 2022 Sep 26:3:962893. doi: 10.3389/fresc.2022.962893. eCollection 2022.

Authors

Belinda Chen¹, Patrick Rasmussen¹, Mallory Legg², Nicole Alexander¹, Pooja Vedmurthy^{3

4}, Akua Asiedu¹, Mihee Bay^{4

5}, Harolyn Belcher^{4

5}, Vera Joanna Burton^{4

6}, Charles Conlon^{4

5}, Amena Fine^{4

6}, Ryan Gill^{4

6}, Eboni I Lance^{4

6}, Paul Lipkin^{4

5}, Joyce Wong⁴, Anna Maria Wilms Floet^{4

5}, Sarah C Doerrer¹, Jennifer Glattfelder¹, Amy Kordek¹, Julie Pertman¹, Rachel Murray¹, T Andrew Zabel^{7

8}, Anne M Comi^{4

5

6}, Mary L Leppert^{1

5}

Affiliations

¹ Center for Development and Learning, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States.
² Maryland Center for Developmental Disabilities, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States.
³ Department of Neurology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States.
⁴ Department of Neurology and Developmental Medicine, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States.
⁵ Division of Neurodevelopmental Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
⁶ Division of Child Neurology, Department of Neurology, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.
⁷ Department of Neuropsychology, Kennedy Krieger Institute, Baltimore, MD, United States.
⁸ Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, United States.

Abstract

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic created novel challenges for school systems and students, particularly students with disabilities. In the shift to remote/distance learning, this report explores the degree to which children with disabilities did not receive the special education and related services defined in their individualized education program (IEP).

Methods: Patients attending an outpatient tertiary care center for neurodevelopmental disabilities in Maryland were surveyed on the impact of the pandemic on educational services provision.

Results: Nearly half (46%) of respondents qualified for special education and related services through an IEP before the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Among those with IEPs, 48% attested to reduced frequency and/or duration of special education and/or related services during the pandemic. The reduction was greatest in occupational therapy services (47%), followed physical therapy services (46%), and special education services (34%).

Conclusion: This survey of children with disabilities observes a substantial reduction in IEP services reported in their completed surveys. To address the observed reduction in IEP services, we sought additional education for clinicians on the rights of students with disabilities in anticipation of students' re-entry to the classroom. A special education law attorney provided an instructional session on compensatory education and recovery services to prepare clinicians to properly inform parents about their rights and advocate for patients with unmet IEP services during the pandemic.

Keywords: COVID 19 pandemic; compensatory services; individualized education program (IEP); recovery services; remote/virtual education; school services.

© 2022 Chen, Rasmussen, Legg, Alexander, Vedmurthy, Asiedu, Bay, Belcher, Burton, Conlon, Fine, Gill, Lance, Lipkin, Wong, Wilms Floet, Doerrer, Glattfelder, Kordek, Pertman, Murray, Zabel, Comi and Leppert.