Services

Quality Reviews

Special Education Reviews

SchoolWorks’ Special Education Reviews provide a clear, objective, and comprehensive understanding of how effectively your current systems support students with disabilities. Our reviews assess alignment with state and federal legal requirements, ensuring your programs meet all regulatory standards. By gathering and analyzing feedback from students, families, educators, and service providers, we help build stakeholder confidence and promote transparency, ensuring that future improvements are informed by the lived experiences of those you serve.

Request a Consultation

Key Insights

At the outset of each engagement, SchoolWorks collaborates closely with your team to tailor the focus and scope of the review.  Using the SchoolWorks Special Education Review Protocol as a foundation, our team will partner with yours to refine the domains and key questions that will guide the review, align indicators and criteria to local context and priorities, and tailor supporting tools such as document request lists, interview and focus group questionnaires, and classroom observation rubrics. 

Our standard Special Education Program Review protocol includes the following domains and key questions: 

Domain 1: General Education Interventions

Domain 1: General Education Interventions

  • Does the district, network or school identify and support its diverse learners?
Domain 2: Child Find

Domain 2: Child Find

  • Does the district, network, or school have systems and processes to effectively identify, locate, and evaluate all students with disabilities?
Domain 3: IEP Development

Domain 3: IEP Development

  • Does the district, network, or school follow district, state, and federal IEP procedural guidelines?
  • Do IEP teams consider a range of service delivery options, with the least restrictive environment at the forefront for all students with disabilities?
Domain 4: IEP Implementation

Domain 4: IEP Implementation

  • Does classroom instruction allow students to access learning according to the needs outlined in the IEP?
  • Does the district, network, or school effectively manage and coordinate special education programming?
Domain 5: Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

Domain 5: Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE)

  • Does the district, network, or school ensure the provision of substantive and procedural components of FAPE and have clear processes for follow-up or disagreements?
  • Does the district, network, or school employ licensed and qualified staff to support students with disabilities?
  • Does the district, network, or school design and provide professional development, foster collaboration, and facilitate communication to sustain a focus on instructional improvement and programming for students with disabilities?

Deliverables

Each review results in a succinct report designed to provide clear, actionable insights that guide decision-making and drive continuous improvement in special education programming and outcomes for students with disabilities. In many cases, SchoolWorks provides follow-up support in the form of action planning or coaching to support the district or school team in defining and implementing improvement strategies. 

Resources

To learn more about our Special Education Reviews, explore these additional resources, or contact our team anytime at hello@schoolworks.org to schedule a conversation. 

Case Studies

Blog Posts

SERVICES

  • Specialized Reviews
  • Special Education Reviews
  • Organizational Assessments
  • Equity Audits

    SchoolWorks'® equity audits provide comprehensive examination of policies, practices, and outcomes to promote equity and inclusivity. Utilizing a multifaceted approach informed by equity frameworks and best practices, SchoolWorks® assesses various aspects of the educational system, including curriculum, instruction, discipline policies, student services, and resource allocation. Through data analysis, stakeholder focus groups/interviews, surveys, and on-site observations, SchoolWorks® identifies disparities, biases, and barriers that may impede equitable access and opportunities for all students. This insight empowers educational leaders to address equity gaps, foster a culture of inclusivity, and ensure that every student has the support and resources needed to succeed academically and socially.

  • Preschool Program Reviews

    SchoolWorks conducts Preschool Program Reviews to evaluate the quality and effectiveness of early childhood education programs in accordance with research-based standards. During the review, a team of experienced educators from SchoolWorks collects and analyzes quantitative and qualitative data through document review, stakeholder surveys, and interviews/focus groups. Analysis may also include an evaluation of student access, identifying potential barriers to enrollment and equitable participation. Each evaluation results in actionable insights that help schools and districts enhance program quality and expand access to high-quality preschool education.

  • Personalized Learning Reviews

    SchoolWorks® evaluates the implementation and effectiveness of personalized learning initiatives within the school context. Our personalized learning reviews examine curriculum design, instructional practices, assessment methods, technology integration, student engagement, and teacher professional development related to personalized learning. By gathering data through classroom observations, stakeholder focus groups/interviews, and document review, SchoolWorks® identifies strengths, challenges, and opportunities for improvement in personalized learning.

  • Curriculum Reviews

    SchoolWorks® supports schools and districts in enhancing the quality and alignment of their curricula to drive student success. Our curriculum reviews provide a thorough evaluation of curricular materials, instructional resources, and assessment tools to ensure alignment with academic standards, instructional best practices, and student learning goals. By analyzing scope and sequence, identifying gaps and redundancies, and, if desired, reviewing student performance data, we help leaders uncover connections between curriculum quality and student outcomes. Curriculum reviews can be tailored by subject area and grade level.

  • Course Audits

    For schools seeking to ensure that current academic offerings align with educational goals, SchoolWorks® offers comprehensive course audits. By examining factors such as vertical and horizontal alignment, content coverage, class size, enrollment patterns, and student grouping, our review teams help identify strengths and areas for improvement. The audit also considers stakeholder perspectives—engaging teachers, students, and parents—to provide a well-rounded understanding of course effectiveness and accessibility.</

“This report is strikingly accurate. I am pleased that the report captured so much of what we are doing while also identifying the needs we have. As the superintendent, I am grateful these needs were verified by outside educators; it gives me leverage for improvement. Please pass on my gratitude to the reviewers; their ability to get to the core of our school in only two days is phenomenal.”

Justin Cowan

Superintendent, Aguilar Schools, CO

“I was concerned that [SchoolWorks] would not be able to capture our school’s culture in a two-day period, but much to my surprise the team shared an accurate picture of who we are. In addition, they provided data to support our hunches of areas that we needed to improve and/or strengthen. We thank the SchoolWorks team for validating for us many of the practices that we do well.”

Sandra Stuart

Principal, George J. West Elementary, RI

Why Choose SchoolWorks?

trusted

Trusted and Approved

SchoolWorks® is a qualified school turnaround and comprehensive/targeted school improvement partner approved by multiple state departments of education, districts, and agencies.

educators-dark

Staffed by Educators

Our trained site visit team members are all former educators and administrators. Their real-world experience in schools helps connect with school stakeholders during the review process.

focus

Fully Customized

By focusing on the unique context and goals of our partners, we provide insights that are both relevant and actionable, empowering schools and districts to make informed decisions that lead to targeted improvements and sustained growth.

Get Started Today

Contact us today to learn more about how SchoolWorks® can support you on your journey.

Contact Schoolworks Today