School closings threaten gains of students with disabilities

The pandemic is threatening to wipe out the educational progress made by many of the nation’s 7 million students with disabilities. That’s according to advocates, who say the extended months of learning from home and erratic attempts to reopen schools are deepening a crisis that began with the switch to distance learning in March. Some schools have prioritized students with disabilities in reopening plans. But those options have only fueled further anguish when they have been reversed because of the virus. Some parents are pursuing legal challenges and requesting makeup services. Many worry that the ground lost will be impossible to recover.