Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain:

1) Why did FCPS sign this voluntary agreement?

2) Why was FCPS singled out for an OCR investigation? What happened in FCPS to special education students from 2020-2022 was not terribly unique.

I do not understand the dynamic and politics of the settlement at all.

They picked a few large school districts in the US for this investigation. School districts all over the US did WAAAAAAY less than FCPS did but because we're big and always in the news, we got singled out. FCPS was following the guidance they were given by VDOE but someone decided that wasn't good enough.

Anonymous wrote:Also FCPS did things like keep the building open for SACC but did not let special ed kids return to the classroom. FCPS was pretty bold in their communication about all of it- like one email is saying virtual is the best thing ever and another is saying we are letting kids return for childcare.

The worse was when FCPS opened it's doors but insisted it could only be for 2 days/week.

I think the big thing that happened was this:

"Inaccurately informed staff that the school division was not required to provide compensatory education to students with disabilities who did not receive a FAPE during the COVID-19 pandemic because the school division was not at fault"

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also FCPS did things like keep the building open for SACC but did not let special ed kids return to the classroom. FCPS was pretty bold in their communication about all of it- like one email is saying virtual is the best thing ever and another is saying we are letting kids return for childcare.

SACC is a county run program and has nothing to do with the school system. The school buildings are just used to house the program. So that information is irrelevant as it didn't involve the school system itself at all.

it has everything to do with the school system- it was okay to have kids in the building for childcare but not school. That is the issue that has been raised. Like if it was so dangerous to be in school- should not have offered the use of the building for kids.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also FCPS did things like keep the building open for SACC but did not let special ed kids return to the classroom. FCPS was pretty bold in their communication about all of it- like one email is saying virtual is the best thing ever and another is saying we are letting kids return for childcare.

SACC is a county run program and has nothing to do with the school system. The school buildings are just used to house the program. So that information is irrelevant as it didn't involve the school system itself at all.

But it kind of does, since FCPS receives revenue from the County for the use of the facilities.

They are renting a room(s). It’s not the same.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also FCPS did things like keep the building open for SACC but did not let special ed kids return to the classroom. FCPS was pretty bold in their communication about all of it- like one email is saying virtual is the best thing ever and another is saying we are letting kids return for childcare.

SACC is a county run program and has nothing to do with the school system. The school buildings are just used to house the program. So that information is irrelevant as it didn't involve the school system itself at all.

But it kind of does, since FCPS receives revenue from the County for the use of the facilities.

Anonymous wrote:Also FCPS did things like keep the building open for SACC but did not let special ed kids return to the classroom. FCPS was pretty bold in their communication about all of it- like one email is saying virtual is the best thing ever and another is saying we are letting kids return for childcare.

Our ES did not open up for SACC during that year.

Different schools handled everything differently. I know that my child received ST via the internet during the virtual year. was it as good as in person? Nope, but it was what they were offering. We have friends whose kids had IEPs and received some services, via the internet, during that year. And those kids were allowed back in, 4 days a week, as soon as school reopened.

Anonymous wrote:Also FCPS did things like keep the building open for SACC but did not let special ed kids return to the classroom. FCPS was pretty bold in their communication about all of it- like one email is saying virtual is the best thing ever and another is saying we are letting kids return for childcare.

SACC is a county run program and has nothing to do with the school system. The school buildings are just used to house the program. So that information is irrelevant as it didn't involve the school system itself at all.

Also FCPS did things like keep the building open for SACC but did not let special ed kids return to the classroom. FCPS was pretty bold in their communication about all of it- like one email is saying virtual is the best thing ever and another is saying we are letting kids return for childcare.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain:

1) Why did FCPS sign this voluntary agreement?

2) Why was FCPS singled out for an OCR investigation? What happened in FCPS to special education students from 2020-2022 was not terribly unique.

I do not understand the dynamic and politics of the settlement at all.

I think one of the big issues is that FCPS told IEP parents that they were not going to get services and altered IEPs- there was no option about this. While building were closed- school was still happening and FCPS told everyone it was quality education. It goes against the law.

So did every other school system. And yet now look what Fairfax is doing. Why is it just them?

not every school system did this. some schools systems never shut down. It is not just them. I think there is a similar thing happening in LA.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain:

1) Why did FCPS sign this voluntary agreement?

2) Why was FCPS singled out for an OCR investigation? What happened in FCPS to special education students from 2020-2022 was not terribly unique.

I do not understand the dynamic and politics of the settlement at all.

I think one of the big issues is that FCPS told IEP parents that they were not going to get services and altered IEPs- there was no option about this. While building were closed- school was still happening and FCPS told everyone it was quality education. It goes against the law.

So did every other school system. And yet now look what Fairfax is doing. Why is it just them?

Anonymous wrote:Can anyone explain:

1) Why did FCPS sign this voluntary agreement?

2) Why was FCPS singled out for an OCR investigation? What happened in FCPS to special education students from 2020-2022 was not terribly unique.

I do not understand the dynamic and politics of the settlement at all.

I think one of the big issues is that FCPS told IEP parents that they were not going to get services and altered IEPs- there was no option about this. While building were closed- school was still happening and FCPS told everyone it was quality education. It goes against the law.

Can anyone explain:

1) Why did FCPS sign this voluntary agreement?

2) Why was FCPS singled out for an OCR investigation? What happened in FCPS to special education students from 2020-2022 was not terribly unique.

I do not understand the dynamic and politics of the settlement at all.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would really like to see the training sessions for staff. Are they open to the public or posted somewhere?

Calm down. They are highly scripted and have to be approved by the Office of Civll Rights.

Okay, then where can we find this?

The training for staff on how to run the IEP meetings will be key for parents to see. They need to know what metrics the staff are using and what types of services will be covered. How much discretion do the IEP teams really have?

Say there was a child who had an IEP whose parents placed them at a private school for 2020-2022? What amount would be covered based on how high of a need there was? If a child only has an IEP for speech (ie can’t say their Rs), would the private school be fully covered? What about a child who had significant needs (ESY, virtually all of their hours were in Special Education, etc). How will the IEP team treat 2020-21 vs 2021-2022?

All of this needs to be clear to parents. It seems like FCPS would want to make the guidelines clear to their staff but keep parents in the dark. Right?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are the options for kids that are now high school seniors? They can’t get services to make up for their partly 9th, 10th and 11th grade years.

Did your kid not get three years of services?

He received no services during the time he was having to do online school. How does a student with learning disabilities learn when the teacher nor the students had cameras on, there were just As handed out like candy.

So your child spent months sitting in front of a black screen in all 7 of his classes and the teachers provided no instruction? I don't understand how this is possible.

The instruction was laughable. And yes, no cameras. Lots of slides and some videos. Staring at slides all day for months does not provide adequate instruction for a kid with learning disabilities and adhd.