Third Congressional District Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Washougal, has introduced bipartisan legislation aimed at studying the effects of learning loss for students with disabilities during the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a news release Monday, Gluesenkamp Perez said pandemic-related school closures resulted in students’ with disabilities individualized education program goals becoming no longer attainable, as the shift to hybrid and remote learning resulted in limited access to essential therapies and other treatment services.
The bill is cosponsored by Rep. Marc Molinaro, R-New York.
“Pandemic-related learning loss affected students across Southwest Washington, with especially dire impacts on those with an Individualized Education Program. Nearly half of these students receiving special education services faced reduced frequency and duration through the pandemic,” Gluesenkamp Perez said in a statement. “This bipartisan legislation will allow us to make informed decisions to help our students recover, as well as ensure schools understand the full impacts of remote learning policies on students with disabilities.”
If passed, the Think DIFFERENTLY About Ending Learning Loss Act would direct the U.S. Department of Education to study the impact of learning loss, which the lawmakers said will allow for more informed solutions.
"Very little attention has been given to the educational needs of students with disabilities and the setbacks they endured during the pandemic. As a father of a child on the autism spectrum, I saw learning loss firsthand,” Molinaro said in a statement. “We can’t allow students with disabilities to just be left behind. This bipartisan effort will work to ensure students with disabilities get additional support to address the learning loss that occurred.”
