(Disclosure: Rose Law Group represents HealthyVerify Certification)
By Kris Maher | Wall Street Journal
BELLEVILLE, W.Va.—For Anna Smith, an 18-year-old with Down syndrome, losing out on in-person education this fall could mean losing access to the physical, occupational and speech therapies she receives through her public school.
With Parkersburg South High School, in a hilly corner of West Virginia near the Ohio River, set to begin on Sept. 8, Christina Smith says she isn’t sure how her daughter Anna will receive therapy this year. Anna hasn’t seen any therapists since March.
Students with disabilities face unique challenges as schools turn to remote learning because of the coronavirus pandemic. Many students who had received therapies in school now could receive them online or scaled back. With plans for the school year in flux, parents say they simply don’t know yet how services will be provided. Meanwhile, remote learning itself often presents new hurdles for children with disabilities.
“HealthyVerify is working with all school settings to allow for the safest possible back-to-classroom policy.”
– Jordan Rose, Rose Law Group President; HealthyVerify Certification Co-Founder