CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A plan is being floated that would involve bringing special education students into Chicago Public School buildings for some special services.
Chicago Public Schools students have started the school year, as many others have, learning from home amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
But that doesn’t work well for some special education students who, in some cases, often need certain services including evaluations, which are not required by federal law, physical therapy, or special tests, such as vision screens - all of which cannot be done via a camera and computer.
So, the district is talking about possibly allowing those students to return to buildings for special services, which could open the door to other students down the road.
CPS “strongly believes that specific types of student services ... can be delivered in-person safely and must be delivered in-person for our most vulnerable students to benefit,” CPS spokeswoman Emily Bolton said in a statement.
The Chicago Teachers Union said it understands that virtual therapy is difficult, but said vulnerable students or not, no one should be in a school building because there is no safe option for in-person learning, and preventing students and teachers from getting coronavirus.
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Bolton later said that it was “deeply concerning that the CTU is yet again standing in the way of ensuring our most vulnerable students can safely access the critical in-person services they need.”
CPS has said that it will reopen school buildings for some in-person learning in November, if health officials determine it is a safe move.
Details of the plan, including safety plans, bus service, and clinician caseload are still being discussed.