The COVID-19 pandemic had a significant negative effect on the oral reading fluency (ORF) of US students in grades 2-3 in over 100 school districts, with students falling 30% behind expectations. While there was some recovery in the fall, it was insufficient to make up for the spring losses. The impact is particularly inequitable, with lower achieving schools being hit harder, and 10% of students not being assessed. Addressing accumulated learning losses and supporting struggling students is necessary.

This suite of publications provides 10 recommendations based on the PACE report to help educators and district leaders provide high-quality instruction through distance and blended learning models in the 2020-21 school year. Despite the challenges of COVID-19, research can guide decisions about student learning and engagement. These recommendations can be used as a framework to prioritize quality instruction.

The CORE districts studied characteristics, outcomes, and transitions of students with disabilities (SWDs). Specific learning disability was the most common type. Males, African Americans, English learners, and foster youth were overrepresented. Chronic absence was higher for SWDs with multiple disabilities. Most SWDs entered special education in K-4 and exited in grades 8-12. These results help identify who may need targeted support.

Only 10% of eligible infants and toddlers with developmental delays nationwide receive early intervention services, and CA serves fewer children than the national average. This is due to challenges such as spotty screening, tenuous linkages to referral and evaluation, and crossing multiple agencies. Massachusetts has a unified early childhood data system and robust interagency linkages, resulting in a greater percentage of their infant and toddler population served. Implementing a unified data system and interagency streamlining in CA could increase the number of children and families served.

Students with disabilities should be included in programs that prepare them for life after high school. This can be achieved through a K-14 work-based learning model, which involves strengthening expectations, leveraging opportunities, and integrating supports. Early implementation of these actions is encouraged, along with specific policy recommendations for California.

Preparing youth with disabilities for adulthood can be challenging, requiring additional supports and coordinated planning. Effective practices, such as family involvement, inclusion in general education, and interagency collaboration, can facilitate successful transitions to employment, postsecondary education, and community living. School districts must work with families, employers, and community agencies to implement these practices.

This brief discusses how California's System of Support uses differentiated assistance (DA) to provide support to districts and boost student group performance levels. It analyzes the districts eligible for DA in 2019 based on their students with disabilities' (SWD) performance on State Priority Areas (SPAs) and indicators. The findings show that over half of the 333 eligible districts were driven by SWD performance in SPAs 4 (Pupil Achievement) and 5 (Pupil Engagement), highlighting intersectional challenges facing SWD that districts can address through their continuous improvement process.

This brief highlights California's Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), which assists struggling students. The inadequate resourcing of Tier 2 services is nevertheless preventing progress in reading and math, as California ranks 38th in the nation. Categorical funding is necessary to provide additional personnel, such as instructional aides and clerical staff, to assist teachers with implementing MTSS effectively.