Many students with disabilities in Los Angeles Unified are regressing during distance learning, according to a new survey.
The advocacy organization Speak UP surveyed more than 300 parents with special education students enrolled across the district, which is the largest district in the state. The students attend every school model in the district, including traditional district schools, affiliated charter schools, independent charter schools and magnet schools.
According to the survey, 76% of parents said their children cannot learn effectively during distance learning and 74% of parents said their children are regressing or exhibiting a loss of skills.
Additionally, more than 60% of parents said they don’t feel they have adequate support from their schools to implement sufficient at-home learning.
“I’m disappointed that the needle hasn’t moved much since the spring, and we continue to see enormous learning loss that threatens to leave our most vulnerable students behind,” Speak UP CEO Katie Braude said in a statement. .
In September, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health gave permission to schools to reopen campuses for small groups of students with disabilities and English learners, but L.A. Unified has yet to reopen campuses for those students. About half of parents surveyed said they would be willing to send their children back for small group instruction.
