How COVID Left Kids with Special Needs Behind

In this S1E19 Schoolutions Teaching Strategies conversation, special education expert and parent advocate Tina Andrews reveals the harsh realities facing students with disabilities and their families in today's education system. When the pandemic hit, special needs students were left behind in ways that most people don't realize. 

🎯 What You'll Learn:
• Why inclusive teaching isn't safe in many schools right now
• The difference between compensatory services and extended school year
• When parents need legal help (it's sooner than you think)
• How to advocate effectively for your child's IEP
• Red flags that indicate your child isn't getting proper support

Tina Andrews, a mother of five adopted children with special needs and project coordinator at Delaware's Parent Information Center, shares her expertise as both a former special education teacher and current parent advocate. Her insights on classroom management, student engagement, and education strategies will empower educators, parents, and school administrators to better support students with disabilities.

Whether you're dealing with disruptive students, seeking better parent communication, or working toward inclusive classrooms, this conversation provides essential guidance for creating equity in education and supporting the whole child.

Chapters:
0:00 - Introduction to Tina Andrews
2:15 - Inspiring Educator: Tina's Mother
4:13 - The Reality of Learning Loss Post-COVID
5:17 - Tina's Journey to Parent Advocacy
7:20 - Finding Support: Parent Training Centers
8:54 - When Inclusion Isn't Safe
11:00 - The Problem with Understaffed Classrooms
13:08 - Understanding IEPs vs 504 Plans
15:51 - Compensatory Services Explained
18:58 - Extended School Year Requirements
22:17 - When to Seek Legal Help
24:17 - State Complaints vs Due Process
27:40 - Hope for Public Education's Future
30:45 - Final Thoughts on Student Resilience

• Parent Information Center (PIC) of Delaware & Tina’s Team Profile
• Parent’s Information & Resource Center
• IDEA (Individuals with Disabilities Education Act)
• What is the Difference Between an IEP and a 504 Plan?
• Center for Family Involvement
• Center for Parent Information and Resources
• Find Your Parent Training and Information Center
• disAbility Law Center of Virginia
• dcist
• CADRE (The Center for Appropriate Dispute Resolution in Special Education)
• COPAA (Council of Parent Attorneys and Advocates)
• Endrew F. Supreme Court Case

When teachers, coaches, administrators, and families grow together, they create schools where everyone is inspired and every student is fully engaged, supported, and ready to thrive.