Recovery Services for Special Education in Washington State
The COVID-19 pandemic brought many uncertain changes and closures throughout the state of Washington. As a result of COVID-19 students lost in-person resources and classroom time due to the unexpected closure during the 2020 school year. OSPI (Office of Superintendent of Public Instructions) implemented recovery services into the student’s IEP team meetings. IEP teams will determine the necessary recovery services for students with disabilities to reach goals and progress that were interrupted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Recovery services will be provided for all students with IEP’s from preschool to the age of 21. Families do not have to make a special request for the recovery services, as it should be discussed with the IEP team. Parents and students can ensure that the school districts must provide information on services and provide the necessary supports to participate in IEP meetings to determine recovery services. IEP meetings do not need to be immediately scheduled for all students. It is important to remember, you and your student are most knowledgeable in identifying what you need for services. It is important to remember that not every student with an IEP will require recovery services for the same amount of time. Recovery services will vary for each individual student.
General Questions
What are recovery services?
It is a term to describe special education and services that are being implemented to support students with disabilities and the impact on IEP goals due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What do recovery services include?
Recovery services may include additional special education, related services designed to work towards IEP goals, and compensatory services.
Do I need to request these services for my student?
No, recovery services do not need to be specially requested. They should be discussed during the student’s IEP meeting to determine if additional services are necessary.
Resources with information on Recovery Services:
Washington’s Roadmap for Special Education Recovery Services: 2021 & Beyond
Recovery Services: What Families Need to Know as Schools Reopen
Seattle Public Schools: Recovery Services
