Cuomo Signs Executive Order to Allow In-Person Special Needs Education

On June 5th, 2020, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo signed an executive order to allow for necessary in-person special education classes to occur this summer.  This announcement came a few days after it was announced that camps would be able to open later in the summer, which was frustrating for parents still waiting to hear about special education classes at the time.  

This decision should provide relief for the many parents of children with special needs who were balancing the tasks of acting as teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists and more at home upon the closure of schools during the pandemic.  

Unfortunately, some parents were starting to see their children regress without the necessary in-person classroom time.  Assemblywoman Melissa Miller, who has a son who is a special needs student, struggled with remote learning.  In a statement, Miller said “The last three months have proven that remote or distance learning is not working for the special needs population of students.  They desperately need structure, routine, one-on-one interaction, and peer socialization.”  

As per the order, school districts will decide whether or not they will be holding special education classes. If they do, they will have to follow state and federal guidelines. According to the executive order, the schools will have to provide personal protective equipment and follow social distancing guidelines. Special education classes tend to be smaller in size, which should help with social distancing.