Lessons Learned from Family-School Relationships during COVID-19: The Experiences of Early Childhood Special...

The COVID-19 pandemic caused shifts in the educational landscape and revealed gaps in educational processes, including the practices of education professionals. The present study used a Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) approach to explore the experiences of ten early childhood special education professionals who supported racially and ethnically diverse families of preschoolers with disabilities to gain insight into family-school relationship dynamics during COVID-19. Through interviews, education professionals shared their firsthand experiences in relation to navigating home-school relationships during the pandemic. Education professionals described shifts in their relationships with families, as well as their observations of family factors such as hardships and engagement. They also discussed strategies they used to support families during the pandemic. Later reflections from professionals in the study's CBPR advisory board revealed lessons learned from the pandemic. Findings highlight the voices of early school professionals during COVID-19 and offer insights into how these experiences informed their adjustment and practice in modern day. Results reveal how early childhood special education professionals and families can be better supported by the education system moving forward, as well as suggestions for fostering home-school relationships throughout the early childhood years.