Resources for Families of Students with Disabilities During COVID-19

Overview

This page provides access to resources for families and caregivers of children with disabilities, as they support their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Family and
School Partnerships

Disclaimer

The below resources are offered for consideration during the time of remote instruction due to COVID-19. This list is not comprehensive of all possible resources. The listed resources are provided for information only. The Colorado Department of Education does not endorse, represent, or warrant the accuracy or reliability of any of the information, content, services, or other materials provided by these educational service providers. Any reliance upon any information, content, materials, products, services, or vendors included on or found through this listing shall be at the discretion of the user.

Family and School Partnerships

PEAK Parent Center’s Response to COVID-19
CDE’s list of agencies for anyone seeking support and resources for individuals with disabilities (PDF)
Serving Students With Disabilities During the COVID-19 Crisis: Spotlight on Policy & Practice from the National Council for Learning Disabilities –This document is the first in a series that will highlight good ideas, creative thinking, and concrete examples of how families, schools, and communities are continuing to serve students with disabilities.

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Helping your Student at Home

Behavior

Creating a New Normal for Kids During the Uncertainties of COVID-19: Includes information and resources for parents to maintain a sense of normalcy for their children during this time. Created by the University of Texas Health and Science Center at Houston.
Ten Positive Behavior Support Strategies to Support Families at Home provides parents with effective strategies and ideas for establishing routines, looking beyond the behavior, emphasizing your child’s strengths, and many more.
Managing Problem Behavior at Home from Child Mind Institute

General Resources

Just for Kids: A Comic Exploring the New Coronavirus
Tips for Helping Your Child Learn at Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak: Created by a parent for parents and includes ideas for creating a learning space for your child with appropriate learning supplies and materials and an effective daily schedule.
Understood.org- Coronavirus: Latest Updates and Tips: Resources for parents of children with disabilities.

Learning at Home

A Parent’s Guide to Virtual Learning: 4 Actions to Improve Your Child’s Experience With Online Learning from the National Council for Learning Disabilities –Here are four things that you should know, and actions you can take, to guide your child’s journey through these unusual and unprecedented times.
Family Guide to at-home Learning: 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. Guide provided by the CEEDAR Center.
National Education association- STEM Lessons in the Kitchen: Includes simple activities in the kitchen that relate to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics for young children of all abilities.
Tips for Helping Your Child Learn at Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak: Created by a parent for parents and includes ideas for creating a learning space for your child with appropriate learning supplies and materials and an effective daily schedule.
Tips for Helping Your Child Learn at Home During the Coronavirus Outbreak: Created by a parent for parents and includes ideas for creating a learning space for your child with appropriate learning supplies and materials and an effective daily schedule.

Mental Health

Anxiety and Coping with the Coronavirus from Child Mind Institute
Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress- Helping Homebound Children During the COVID-19 Outbreak
Helen and Arthur E. Johnson Depression Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus- Parent Support Resources
How Mindfulness Can Help During COVID-19 from Child Mind Institute

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Special Education Process

Parent/Family FAQ's

The Parent and Family Frequently Asked Questions is a guide for Parents and Family Members of Students on IEPs.

Facilitated IEP Meeting

The CDE continues to offer IEP Facilitation during this time. During COVID-19 we have moved our facilitation services online using a tele-facilitation model. This model continues to encourage the same principles of traditional IEP Facilitation to promote effective communication and assist an IEP team in developing an IEP based on the student’s needs. During this time our neutral facilitators are using a tele-facilitation approach using meeting guidelines and a variety of communication strategies throughout a meeting.

If you are interested in obtaining a facilitator for your virtual IEP meeting, please complete the facilitator request (Smartsheet form). After gaining agreement from the other party, a facilitator will be in touch to develop an agenda.

Clear communication is essential within every IEP meeting. Strategies and tools help us work with teams, especially when talking about a child.

Paraphrase, Mirror, and Reframe - These strategies are helpful in ensuring we understand what everyone at the table is saying.
Effective Questions - These questioning techniques are helpful in ensuring we have enough information to make decisions. We start with open-ended questions when needing more information, then move towards problem-solving questions when needing solutions. Asking questions is an excellent way to gain information, as well as for preventing defensiveness.
Parent Input - Make notes regarding your child’s strengths, behavioral performance, social interaction, and concerns you may have regarding your child’s education. Share from this form during your child’s IEP meeting. Perhaps, utilize a parent input form (opens in a new window).

Visit the Alternative Dispute Resolution and Tele-Facilitation & ADR pages for more information.

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Having trouble with this webpage?

If you have problems with broken links or accessing the content on this page, please contact the Exceptional Student Services Unit at ESSU@cde.state.co.us. Please copy the URL link for this page into the email when referencing the problem you are experiencing.