From Paper to Digital: Special Education Management at School of Dreams Academy

Challenges

• Weeks of extra work and redundancies due to disparate, siloed special education management system 
• Difficulty in tracking the services offered to students and ensuring that they align with state and local goals 
• Ensuring that all staff, from preschool to 12th grade, are adequately trained on the IEP process 

Products & Solutions 

• PowerSchool SIS 
• PowerSchool Special Programs

Results

• Automated data entry and two-way data flow significantly decrease the number of errors and keep the school’s data updated 
• Streamlined reporting capabilities that reduced administrative time spent on compliance from 33 days to just two weeks 
• Software that works well with the school’s existing reporting system (STARS) 
• Improved staff training on the IEP process and increased classroom efficiency and effectiveness 

The ever-evolving landscape of special education can be challenging, with unique demands that are often time-consuming and multifaceted. Like in general education, the right special education management solution can significantly transform student outcomes. 

This was the experience for School of Dreams Academy (SODA), a school in New Mexico that adopted Special Programs as a key solution in its edtech toolkit. 

Less Time on Audits, Compliance, and Reporting

Every educator understands the weight of administrative tasks—a necessary part of the job but one that often detracts from direct student engagement. Digitization reduces paperwork, cuts administrative staff time, and allows educators to focus on high-level activities geared toward student growth. 

For SODA’s Special Services Director, Paul Howard, the reporting capabilities of Special Programs have saved him “countless hours.” Processes that once took him 33 days are now completed in just two weeks. 

Before using Special Programs, Howard had to manually copy over individualized education plans (IEPs) into STARS, the state reporting system for New Mexico. This endeavor was “two or three times the amount of work,” and every minute counts with 242 students with an IEP.

With automation, Howard has more time to support students and teachers. This system also helps Howard reduce errors, a common issue with manual data entry. “I’ve gone from 42 errors to about 15 errors,” he says.

The shift to a digital system, which integrates with their existing PowerSchool SIS, brought a world of difference. “I can now support students. I can support teachers. I can be on campus. I can work with the case managers,” Howard says, highlighting the system’s improved efficiency.

The Special Programs reporting functionality helps educators like Howard manage compliance using intuitively guided actions and business rules aligned with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other federal and state laws. This technology can also help educators run required state and district reports and, if allowed, send data directly to relevant government agencies. 

Good reporting is vital because it directly affects funding. Using the snapshot feature to capture data at a point in time for reporting later has been invaluable for Howard, especially for weekly audits. SODA can now ensure adequate and timely funding is procured.

Accessible, Secure, and Effective IEPs 

The right special education technology can help educators better manage the IEP process by tracking clinical services to ensure the delivery and alignment of IEPs to state and local goals.

One of SODA’s main goals was to train all staff, from preschool to 12th grade, on the IEP process. Special Programs made this possible and helped the staff better manage and track the IEPs in line with the state and local goals. The convenience of having this capability at their fingertips helps all staff get a better insight into every student’s progress.

Before PowerSchool, SODA had to print, compile, and securely store hundreds of documents in binders, with the constant responsibility of keeping them updated. Now, teachers and staff can manage IEPs online, a change that Howard says, “has really significantly made my life a lot easier and the staff’s.”

Two-way data flow between PowerSchool SIS and Special Programs ensures that SODA’s data is always current. Teachers also get alerts for student accommodations in their IEP or 504 plan. Howard shares, “now I can focus on other things besides compliance. We have all the flags set up. Teachers have information. They can see IEPs.”

The Power of Digital Signature

The Special Programs Digital Signature functionality is another feature significantly impacting SODA. With the Special Programs Digital Signature option, families at SODA can review and sign IEPs, 504 Plans, and more—securely online. Teachers and case managers can then sign off on special education documentation to keep the process of managing students with different needs on target and on time. This functionality ensures that all collected signatures are legally valid. 

As Howard puts it, “not only does it save time, but it also archives all signatures.” He used to drive considerable distances across SODA’s rural district to collect signatures. Howard shares, “there were times I’ve driven out and got the consent form but didn’t get the signature for billing Medicaid or didn’t get the initials for procedural safeguards, even though consent was given.” He says, “as somebody who wears one hat in multiple areas…I’ve got to really plan out my time.”

Now, Howard can handle the whole process from his desk. “Then, the other really nice thing about it is that I can go back and look, and if the parent hasn’t signed, I can refresh it and send the e-mail back out,” says Howard, who is now at nearly 100% compliance.

Digital Signature streamlines SODA’s special program management, making it faster, more user-friendly, and highly secure.

Transformation and Success at SODA 

“If someone were to ask me why PowerSchool and Special Programs, I would say support…very responsive to phone calls and e-mails. In turn, that educates me and educates the staff,” Howard says.

While edtech solutions cannot eliminate the documentation required to serve special education students, they can undoubtedly lessen administrative tasks and better allocate time to education, growth, and outcomes. For Howard, PowerSchool products help with “time management, being more effective in the classroom, providing more direct instruction to teachers, working with students individually, as well as financially… being able to save more, [and] utilize that money in other areas.”

The Special Programs software has revolutionized SODA’s approach to special education, giving them the tools to provide the best support for their students. The result is a more efficient, compliant, and student-focused environment. Additionally, SODA has seen an impressive 100% graduation rate in the process.

SODA’s story shows how integrated solutions like Special Programs and PowerSchool SIS can transform a school’s special education program, improving efficiency and allowing educators to shift their focus back to what’s most important: the students.