COVID-19 and Special Education

Overview

These Exceptional Student Services Unit (ESSU) webpages are continuously expanding to support educators who serve, and families of Colorado children with disabilities through the provision of Special Education-specific information and resources during the COVID-19 pandemic.

State & Federal Guidance

This section organizes guidance provided by the U.S. Department of Education, State Of Colorado Agencies including the CDE Exceptional Student Services Unit.

Special Education During
Covid 19

Learning Supports for Students With Disabilities

This section provides resources across a wide multitude of disability topics.

Learning Supports for
Students with Disabilities

Resources for Families of Students with Disabilities During COVID-19

This section provides access to resources for families and caregivers of children with disabilities, as they support their children during the COVID-19 pandemic.

COVID-19 Resources for Families
of Students with Disabilities

Parent/Family
Frequently Asked Questions

Disability & Topic Specific Information

Serious Emotional Disability, Social Emotional Learning, Mental Health & Behavior

Remote Learning Resources for SEL, Mental Health and Behavior

Significant Support Needs

Significant Support Needs & COVID-19

Speech & Language

Speech & Language Resources

Transition Age

Providing Secondary Transition Services During COVID-19

Visual Impairment, Including Blindness

Visual Impairment, Including Blindness COVID-19 Resources

Top of Page

Virtual Office Hours

After the time of remote instruction, the Office of Special Education has been fielding many phone and email questions regarding how best to support the accessibility, behavior, learning, social-emotional, and transition needs of learners with disabilities. In response to requests from the field, the following office hours have resumed:

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Office Hours
BCBA Conversations
Blind/Visually Impaired (B/VI) Sound Bites
Deaf and Hard of Hearing Listen, Learn, Ask, Answer
New or Near-New Special Education Directors - Lunch Connect Meetings
School-Based Mental Health and Special Education
Secondary Transition Office Hours
Serious Emotional Disability, Social Emotional Learning, Mental Health & Behavior
Significant Support Needs Power Hour
Speech-Language Pathology Office Hours

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

The ASD team has concluded the 2022-23 ASD Office Hour Sessions. ASD Office Hours will resume in the fall; please check back for more information.

BCBA Conversations

The 2022-23 BCBA Conversations have concluded for the school year. Please check back for the 2023-24 dates.

Blind/Visually Impaired (B/VI)

Tanni Anthony has concluded the 2022-23 Sound Bite Sessions. Sound Bites will resume in the fall; please check back for more information.

Deaf and Hard of Hearing Listen, Learn, Ask, Answer (LLAA)

Shauna Moden and the Deaf, Hard of Hearing team have concluded Listen, Learn, Ask, Answer for the 2022-2023 school year. LLAA sessions will resume in the fall; please check back for more information.

New or Near-New Special Education Directors - Lunch Connect Meetings

Lunch Connect meetings have concluded for the 2022-23 school year. Please check back for more information.

School-Based Mental Health and Special Education

Krista Klabo has concluded the School-Based Mental Health and Special Education office hours for the school year. During the 2023/2024 school year, Krista Klabo’s office hours will focus on best practices in special education assessment and interpretation. Please check back for more information.

Secondary Transition

Gail Lott's Secondary Transition office hours have concluded for the 2022-2023 school year. Secondary Transition Office Hours will resume in the fall; please check back for more information.

Serious Emotional Disability, Social Emotional Learning, Mental Health & Behavior

Bill Brown has concluded monthly office hours on the topics of Serious Emotional Disability, Social Emotional Learning, Mental Health & Behavior. Bill will resume office hours in the fall; please check back for more information.

Significant Support Needs - Power Hour

Gina Herrera hosts office hours for SSN Power Hour on the first Wednesday of each month from 3:30 PM - 4:30 PM.

All participants must register no later than two weeks in advance for each power hour.

September 7, 2022
October 5, 2022
November 2, 2022
December 7, 2022
January 4, 2023
February 1, 2023
March 1, 2023
April 5, 2023
May 5, 2023
June 7, 2023

Register for SSN Power
Hour Office Hours

Speech-Language Pathology Office Hours

Shani O'Brien has concluded the Speech-Language Pathology Office Hours for the 2022-23 school year. SLP Office Hours will resume in the fall; please check back for more information.

Top of Page