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

Area of Science:

• Special Education
• Disability Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• The COVID-19 pandemic presented unprecedented challenges for educational systems, particularly affecting students with disabilities.
• The shift to remote learning raised concerns about the continuity and quality of specialized educational services.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the extent to which children with disabilities received their mandated special education and related services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• To explore the impact of pandemic-related educational shifts on the provision of services outlined in Individualized Education Programs (IEPs).

Main Methods:

• A survey was administered to patients with neurodevelopmental disabilities at a tertiary care center in Maryland.
• The survey focused on the impact of the pandemic on the delivery of educational services.

Main Results:

• Before the pandemic, 46% of respondents had an IEP. Among these, 48% reported reduced frequency or duration of services.
• Reductions were most pronounced in occupational therapy (47%) and physical therapy (46%), followed by special education services (34%).

Conclusions:

• The study highlights a substantial decrease in IEP services for children with disabilities during the pandemic.
• Educational sessions were provided to clinicians on student rights, compensatory education, and recovery services to support families in advocating for unmet needs.