The U.S. Department of Educationâs Office of Civil Rights is investigating the Indiana Department of Education over what it called, in a letter sent Tuesday to Education Secretary Katie Jenner, âdisturbing reportsâ that the state denied students with disabilities equal access to education during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Under federal law, schools are required to provide a âfree appropriate public educationâ to each qualified student with a disability.
In its letter, OCR said it was concerned that Indiana had failed to do so and was âparticularly troubledâ by reports that parents of disabled students in Indiana schools have filed multiple complaints with IDOE alleging that students were forced by local school districts into âone size fits allâ remote learning programs, instead of individualized programs designed to meet the need laid out in their Individualized Education Plans or 504 Plans. Qualifying students with disabilities are guaranteed services, spelled out in their IEP or 504 Plan, to meet their unique needs and ensure they have equal access to a free public education.