Implications of COVID-19 on School Services for Children with Disabilities: Opportunities for Interagency Collaboration.

ABSTRACT: The transition to virtual and hybrid schooling given the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States has upended the education system and may be widening gaps in service disparities, particularly for children with disabilities. Schools often function as "de facto" service systems for most children with disabilities, particularly those from racially and ethnically minoritized, economically vulnerable, and bilingual populations. The impact of school closures on children with disabilities poses significant ramifications for the medical, behavioral health, and educational systems in which they are served, necessitating the need for pediatric clinicians to collaborate with schools in purposeful ways. This commentary (1) presents an overview of the current guidance for providing school-based services to children with disabilities during the COVID context with many schools operating in virtual or hybrid formats, (2) reviews potential service inequities exacerbated by school closures and lack of on-site services, and (3) offers recommendations for collaborating with school staff and community agencies in support of children and families with disabilities.

Teleassessment with children and adolescents during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and beyond: Practice and policy implications

Due to physical distancing guidelines, the closure of nonessential businesses, and the closure of public schools, the role of telehealth for the delivery of psychological services for children has never been more debated. However, the transition to teleassessment is more complicated for some types of assessment than others. For instance, the remote administration of achievement and intelligence tests is a relatively recent adaptation of telehealth, and despite recommendations for rapid adoption by some policymakers and publishing companies, caution and careful consideration of individual and contextual variables and the existing research literature, as well as measurement, cultural and linguistic, and legal and ethical issues, is warranted. The decision to use remotely administered achievement and intelligence tests is best made on a case-by-case basis after consideration of these factors. We discuss each of these issues as well as implications for practice and policy, as well as issue provisional guidance for consideration for publishing companies interested in these endeavors moving forward. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement Public Significance Statement-The current review describes a number of factors that may reduce the accuracy of standardized tests, like intelligence tests, when they are given remotely. Additionally, it highlights the importance of considering the purpose of assessment, client cultural and linguistic background, as well as ethical and legal decision making, on the use and interpretation of standardized test results. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved)