March 12, 2020

Greetings Superintendents, Curriculum Coordinators, Federal Program Directors, Special Education Directors, CTE Directors, District Test Coordinators, Principals, Counselors, School Nurses and Teachers:

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) released guidance today regarding FERPA, services to students with disabilities and the impact of COVID-19 on assessments and accountability.

At this time, ED is not expecting to issue statewide waivers for accountability, but may consider targeted waivers on a case-by-case basis for schools affected by COVID-19.

For more information, please review the following ED guidance documents:

Protecting Student Privacy: FERPA and the Coronavirus (March 12, 2020)

Questions and Answers on Providing Services to Children with Disabilities During the COVID-19 Outbreak (March 12, 2020)

Fact Sheet: Impact of COVID-19 on Assessments and Accountability under the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (March 12, 2020)

All U.S. Department of Education updates are available at: https://www.ed.gov/coronavirus