Chapter 4: Maximizing the Potential of Students Who Need Behavioral Supports During the Pandemic

At the start of 2020, the entire world began to realize challenges posed by the emerging COVID-19 virus and the ensuing impact on humanity. As the spread of the virus outpaced the efforts of medical experts and government officials to contain it, the only viable solution to “flatten the curve,” was to shutter businesses, stop social gatherings, and implement strict lockdown and isolation procedures. Cities and towns went from bustling social environments to ghost towns, where people feared contact with each other. Even with the best collective efforts and cooperation, the virus continued to spread and rapidly became a global pandemic. People faced an uncertain future as loved ones died at rates not recorded since the 1918 global influenza pandemic (Ewing et al., 2020; Saulat & Jafri, 2021). Health systems and hospitals quickly became overwhelmed and struggled to provide necessary medical treatments to people infected with COVID-19 and those with other emergency medical needs (French et al., 2022). Businesses were devastated, as shutdown orders came from local, state, and federal officials. Employees were laid off or instructed to work from home, leading to an unparalleled economic decline. Except for “essential” workers, many people did not leave the perceived safety of their own homes. The shutdowns were also extended to millions of schools across the country and world. By April 2020, virtually every school in the U.S. shut their doors to in-person learning and rapidly switched to online instruction or emergency remote instruction (ERI). This switch in instructional modality caused unprecedented challenges to educators, students, and their families.