On November 11, 2022, the U.S. Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS) sent a letter to state special education directors focusing on the needs of “highly mobile children” and stating that schools need to provide “timely and expedited evaluations and eligibility determinations” for such students that are also suspected of having a disability that impacts their learning. The letter is intended to help to ensure the educational stability of highly mobile students with disabilities and defines highly mobile children as those who are connected with military families, or are migratory, homeless, or in the foster care system. 

The eleven page letter was the OSERS response to concerns from stakeholders and includes resources regarding response to intervention (rti) approaches before an evaluation is complete, as well as the use of comparable special education services for students new to a school district.

Students who move frequently, particularly those with disabilities, can face challenges such as difficulty communicating their needs to school personnel unfamiliar to them.

To view the letter, click here.

Source: K12 Dive