Press Releases

Spectrum K12 School Solutions Publishes White Paper Forecasting Trends in K-12 Special Populations

TOWSON, Md. — Dec. 2, 2005 — Thirty years ago today, President Gerald R. Ford signed into law the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), completely overhauling the education of children with disabilities. In honor of that signing, Spectrum K12 School Solutions Inc., the leading provider of comprehensive management solutions for special populations in K-12 education, has published a white paper analyzing current and future trends that affect the management of special populations.

A “Perfect Storm” in K-12 Education: Tough Trends and Mandates Require Tracking Technology explains that NCLB mandates, requirements of the 2004 renewal of IDEA, now known as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act (IDEIA), changes in student demographics and other trends, have coalesced to put huge pressures on K-12 districts to track and provide services to a rapidly increasing number of students, both in and outside of special education programs.

The current reporting system for special education is a costly "morass of rules, regulations, and litigation," according to the President’s Commission on Excellence in Special Education. Adding other special populations—Limited English Proficient, gifted and talented, Section 504, at-risk, and early intervention, among others—to the list of those that must be tracked will present significant management challenges for K-12 districts.

The paper summarizes that specialized software systems has become a necessity for K-12 districts to manage the timelines, triggered events and reams of legal paperwork for special education, as well as track the progress, learning trends, and academic outcomes of all students with individualized learning plans. The benefits of such systems include: decreased expenses, more in-class time for special educators, increased achievement of student goals, and prevention of unnecessary referrals to costly special education programs.

A copy of A “Perfect Storm” in K-12 Education: Tough Trends and Mandates Require Tracking Technology can be downloaded from the Spectrum K12 School Solutions Web site at: http://www.4glschools.com/. For more information contact Spectrum K12 School Solutions at 800-490-84GL (8445).

About Spectrum K12 School Solutions

Spectrum K12 School Solutions Inc. helps school districts more effectively manage the individualized learning process for all students receiving special services or interventions, including special education, at-risk, Section 504 and Limited English Proficient (LEP) students. 4GL works collaboratively with districts of all sizes to deliver scalable, easy-to-use software solutions that lift the burden of paperwork from education professionals so they can focus on the most important part of their work: educating children and improving student achievement. The company is based in Towson, Md. For more information, visit http://www.4glschools.com or call 1-800-490-84GL (8445).