AJE is happy to share these resources from the US Department of Education

On October 23, the Department of Education released a Parent and Family Digital Learning Guide, a resource to help parents and guardians understand how digital tools can provide tailored learning opportunities, engage students with course materials, encourage creative expression, and enrich the educational experience.  The guide has advice and best practices about topics such as how to leverage flexibilities and innovations of technologies and digital tools, like accessibility options, to meet the unique needs of every learner; steps parents can take to keep their children safe online and foster safe digital behavior, like accessing security features on a child’s device, tracking log-on information, and monitoring videoconferencing; how competency-based learning, which measures a student’s knowledge of a subject rather than time spent on the subject, can harness technology for the benefit of students; and simple primers on major federal laws governing student privacy and safety.  This publication is the first in a series that will also provide digital learning knowledge and resources to educators and school leaders.

The Department’s Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP), and Institute of Education Sciences (IES) have developed “Welcoming Safe and Supportive Learning Environments” — resources to support teachers and school and district leaders.  These resources include School Climate Improvement, Creating a Safe and Respectful Environment in Our Nation’s Classrooms, Mindfulness in Education: An Approach to Cultivating Self-Awareness That Can Bolster Kids’ Learning, Returning to School During and After Crisis, and Supporting Students with Disabilities at School and Home.  Similar resources are available at OESE Resources, the Center on Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), the National Center for Pyramid Innovations, and IES COVID-19 Evidence-Based Resources.

OSEP also issued a new questions-and-answers document about the implementation of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C Provision of Services in the current COVID-19 environment.

And, the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA) issued a new questions-and-answers document regarding the administration of the State Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) Services and American Indian Vocational Rehabilitation Services (AIVRS) programs under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and Business Enterprise programs under the Randolph-Sheppard Act during the pandemic.