Thread by @ChrisMurphyCT

1/ A short THREAD on another of those silent crises that most Americans don't see right now:

The crisis of kids with serious disabilities, who are home, with no ability to learn, with no support system, and with parents who don't know what to so.

2/ Students with learning disabilities badly want to learn, just like their peers, but they need specialized plans and extra help. They get it, through guarantees in federal law - the IDEA Act.

Many of those kids are thriving, others are just getting by, but only with this help.

3/ But understandably, schools can't provide this help when kids are distance learning.

So lots of these kids are receiving NO education right now. And many have difficultly adjusting to change and new routines, and are falling into crisis locked inside with nothing to do.

4/ Schools are confused about what their obligations are right now. Do they have to adjust the students' learning plan and try to deliver services? Do they plan to give extra help when the student returns? Do they just throw their hands up and give up?

Federal law is unclear.

5/ And what happens when these students come back to school? They will need A LOT of help and resources to catch up.

But school budgets are going to be stretched thin as the recession crashes local budgets. How do schools afford to provide these extra services?

6/ Today, I'm just identifying the problem. Obviously there are federal solutions here and I'm working on it.

But the crisis is so quiet that few Americans know it exists. These kids are in dire straits right now, and we need to come to their rescue.