Special Education Analysis.
We take a team approach, with consultants from various areas of expertise, to find commendations and make recommendations about a district's special education program. Our team uses district, state and national data along with best practices to develop findings, recommendations and conclusions that identify staff and program costs and processes that do not provide adequate student benefit with respect to special student achievement expectations at the building and district level. The consultants provide data-driven direction for school districts looking to monitor special education funding and expenditures, as well as staffing patterns and IEP service plans, to maximize academic benefits and parental satisfaction yet control costs. Analysis typically would include findings and recommendations regarding: district culture, school climate and administration; disability specifics and comparisons; diversity and ethnicity; school completion and discipline; student outcomes; costs and funding.
Results of research regarding the effectiveness of American Educational Consultants’ Special Education Analysis
reports to school districts, their follow through on recommendations,
and the degree to which the report results in increased student success.
Summary
June, 2020
American Educational Consultants has completed many projects for school districts in different areas of the United States specifically for the purpose of identifying the degree to which those districts provide students with disabilities an effective, efficient and appropriate spectrum of services and at the same time analyzing the degree to which special education is properly funded in those school districts. The company is now asking itself the degree to which these projects have resulted in (1) its recommendations being followed and (2) student achievement and other student success indicators showing gains because of the company’s work.
Having interviewed several district leaders/contacts 2-9 years subsequent to these projects being completed, we’ve reached the following conclusions:
We take a team approach, with consultants from various areas of expertise, to find commendations and make recommendations about a district's special education program. Our team uses district, state and national data along with best practices to develop findings, recommendations and conclusions that identify staff and program costs and processes that do not provide adequate student benefit with respect to special student achievement expectations at the building and district level. The consultants provide data-driven direction for school districts looking to monitor special education funding and expenditures, as well as staffing patterns and IEP service plans, to maximize academic benefits and parental satisfaction yet control costs. Analysis typically would include findings and recommendations regarding: district culture, school climate and administration; disability specifics and comparisons; diversity and ethnicity; school completion and discipline; student outcomes; costs and funding.
Results of research regarding the effectiveness of American Educational Consultants’ Special Education Analysis
reports to school districts, their follow through on recommendations,
and the degree to which the report results in increased student success.
Summary
June, 2020
American Educational Consultants has completed many projects for school districts in different areas of the United States specifically for the purpose of identifying the degree to which those districts provide students with disabilities an effective, efficient and appropriate spectrum of services and at the same time analyzing the degree to which special education is properly funded in those school districts. The company is now asking itself the degree to which these projects have resulted in (1) its recommendations being followed and (2) student achievement and other student success indicators showing gains because of the company’s work.
Having interviewed several district leaders/contacts 2-9 years subsequent to these projects being completed, we’ve reached the following conclusions:
- All clients reported being fully satisfied with the company’s work; the knowledge, skills and professionalism of the consultants themselves; the project process; the final report; and the follow up if/when they had subsequent questions.
- With respect to the degree of recommendation implementation, the responses ranged from 50 to 80 percent of the consultant’s report recommendations being implemented except for one district, where little if any of the report’s recommendations were processed for implementation. Interestingly, nine years later that district requested the project be done anew so the new leadership team could ensure improvement in special education took place. And the district that reported only 50% identified the SPED Director as the person that held up other improvements. Mode of respondents was 75- 80%.
- With respect to improvements in special education programming, each client reported major shifts due to our recommendations. Some were staffing; some were how they identified and served students; some were funding that shifted out of wasteful and into purposeful use; and some were expansion of the study’s data analytical processes as a model for other school improvement initiatives in the district.
- With respect to student achievement gains, clients who implemented report recommendations identified a range from held steady to rising as report recommendations were implemented, with most reporting scores rose as we’d predicted. In addition, clients reported gains in parent satisfaction, more accurately focused student referrals, more accurately focused decision making, the ability to fund assistive technology and other one-time cost needs, and school leaders’ ability to model the report’s use of data to support quality programming as well as necessary changes.
- These Special Education Analysis projects are worthwhile, appreciated, and effective.