Shifting to remote learning during the pandemic failed special education students in New York, according to a report released by State Comptroller Thomas DiNapoli. There are nearly 500,000 students with disabilities in New York — about 20% of K-12 students.
DiNapoli said the absence of in-person learning made some individual and small group instruction nearly impossible. Students also missed out on important hands-on and face-to-face interaction like physical and occupational therapy.
He’s worried remote learning made the achievement gap for these students even wider.
The report says just 79% of students with disabilities in Suffolk County graduated during the pandemic, compared to the 95% of general students. That’s a wider achievement gap than the year before (76% compared to 89%).
