It’s time to open ESA enrollment to help special needs kids: Kayla Svedin

We are living in uncertain and unprecedented times. As the coronavirus pandemic wreaks havoc, Gov. Doug Ducey and Superintendent of Public Instruction Kathy Hoffman recently announced that public and charter schools would stay closed for the remainder of the school year. Private schools are following suit.

The abrupt school closures left parents scrambling to find ways to continue providing their children with a quality education at home, often while working from home themselves. Assistance from schools across sectors has varied and parents have had to quickly figure out how to navigate numerous online platforms like Zoom and Google Classroom.

Perhaps hardest hit are students with special needs, many of whom are now completely without any of the services their schools once provided. Hoffman expressed that she is “very concerned about the extra burden school closures place on our students with special needs and their families,” noting that, “The services provided at our schools are critical to their wellness and success.”

To read the rest of this column in the Arizona Capitol Times, please click here.