Availability of Devices and Internet Access
In order to facilitate the educational process in the event of an emergency situation that would require remote instruction for students, the school district completes the annual Student Digital Resources collection process to better inform how this plan can serve the school community. The purpose of this survey is so that the school district can understand the level of access to technology that students within the school district have, primarily in regard to their access to the internet and computers.
To support remote learning, the district will make computer devices and hotspot devices available to the greatest extent possible. The district currently operates on a one-to-one device capacity and can therefore provide devices to all students. Additionally, the school district shall provide devices, to the extent that is possible, to staff and faculty who do not have their own devices. In the event that internet access is not possible and that hotspot devices are not available, the school district shall work with community partners to help ensure that public access wi-fi points are available for students and families throughout the community to allow for them to participate in remote learning.
The school district’s technology department shall be responsible for assisting students with internet access, including, but not limited to, the use of hotspot devices, and may also be tasked with servicing devices that may not be working properly. This group may also be responsible for providing on-site instructional support for technology integration and for providing learning opportunities through tutorial videos and other virtual means.
Should the school district determine in advance that emergency conditions may require the school district to provide remote instruction during the following day(s), students and staff shall be informed of this possibility via their existing internal and external communication channels with as much advance notice as possible. The school district may communicate this information via the public address system, verbal communication, letters sent home, social media posts, phone calls, and via text messages.
Inevitably, there may be students in the school community for whom remote learning is not appropriate or possible. In these situations, the school district shall assess that individual’s unique needs and try to accommodate them with in-person learning, to the extent that is possible. The school district may also consider utilizing 1:1 aides, instruction by phone, or the creation and dissemination of paper materials to the students home, as well as other methods, to better support their individual needs.
Provision of Special Education and Related Services
Should remote learning become necessary, the school district shall ensure that special education services are provided to students who need them, in accordance with their individualized education programs (IEPs) and to ensure that they receive a free appropriate public education (FAPE). All of the modifications and accommodations afforded to special education students via their IEP will be afforded to that student, regardless of their primary instruction model. In order to facilitate the provision of special education and related services the school district shall ensure that:
– There is consistent communication between committees on special education and program providers, with plans for monitoring and communicating student progress and a commitment to shared resources.- There is access to the necessary accommodations, modifications, supplementary aids and services, and technology to meet the unique disability-related needs of each student.
– Related services, such as speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and counseling, shall be provided to students, consistent with their IEPs.
– Students are provided with prioritized standards-based lessons via the school district’s digital platform.
– Students are directly provided with modifications and accommodations as per their IEP
– All differentiated assignments shall be compliant with NYS guidelines and the student’s IEP
– Accommodations shall be provided through the student’s 504 plans
– Students are provided with daily synchronous instruction via Google Meet
Expectations for Time Spent in Modalities and Foundation Aid
In the event that the school district were required to go to emergency remote instruction, the school district schedule shall mirror what the in-person schedule for the day would have been. Students shall be provided with opportunities throughout the course of the day to interact with teachers and their peers during live instruction, including group work and question and answer sessions within the classroom structure. For state aid purposes, the school district estimates that they will spend seven hours of time in remote instruction due to emergency conditions.