IEP&Me

Special education in the United States is too complicated, confusing, and schools are so focused on being legally compliant that they miss the opportunity to provide support and resources for successful implementation. The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) - the legal document that outlines a students’ disability, needs, and school-provided support plan - is so focused on compliance that the only parents that can reliably understand one are those that have had special education training. And it is nearly impossible for a student - the person at the center of the IEP - to comprehend its contents, let alone self-advocate based on the supports it describes. 

In the US 1 in 5 students have a learning difference, and more than 7 million students have IEPs at school. As awareness and acceptance of disabilities and neurodivergence increase in our society, that number rises each year. This means that more than 21 million parents are struggling with this process. For students with IEPs, this process has led to significantly different life-long outcomes. They are almost 20% less likely to graduate with a high school diploma compared to their peers without IEPs. Studies have shown that more than 40% of prison inmates have a learning disability, in addition to an increased risk of recidivism. In anecdotal experience as a summer school teacher at a juvenile justice center in the Bay Area, co-founder Bridgette reported that more than 50% of her students had at least one documented learning disability (although none of those students were aware of their accommodations or rights to receive those accommodations). 

For special education teachers, this focus on legal compliance has led to an exponential increase in the amount of paperwork, taking away from opportunities for direct instruction with their students. While they support general education teachers, a large majority of teacher preparation programs are greatly lacking in coverage of special education or disabilities. In California alone, there was no requirement for these programs to cover any special education content until 2017.  Throughout the country, teachers report feeling under-prepared to teach students with disabilities well. In addition to insufficient training, general education teachers do not have an easy way to access IEP information or resources to answer their disability-based questions. 

These same issues are also being seen in the global education space where educators are keen to begin utilizing IEPs and other individualized learning plans but are concerned about the resources required based on the US experience.  This expands beyond special education as many states and countries are moving towards individualized learning for all, gifted & talented plans, multilingual learner plans, and multi-tiered system of support plans. 

The lack of quick access to individualized plan information and transparency in the education process has led to deteriorating relationships between schools and the students and families they aim to support. Teachers are frustrated with the process and its current outcomes. It shows in the greater shortage of special education teachers, the increase in legal due process complaints, and deficient student outcomes.  

IEP&Me is the first software platform that fosters true, easy collaboration across the entire special education team, from the parents, to students, and school staff. We develop trust and teamwork throughout by providing the opportunity for everyone to easily access, navigate, and provide feedback on each student's individual education plan (IEP), and enhance student advocacy through a self-determination curriculum and focusing on students' deep engagement with their own learning plans.

IEP&Me serves a critical role in enhancing the educational experiences of students with disabilities by streamlining and improving the interaction between these students, their families, and educators. Our solution is specifically designed for:

1. Students with Disabilities: We empower these students by making the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process more inclusive and transparent. By integrating student-friendly tools and resources into IEP&Me, we ensure that students are not just the focus of the IEP, but active participants in their learning and development.

2. Parents and Guardians: For parents and guardians, IEP&Me transforms the daunting task of managing their child’s special education needs from a burdensome paper-based system to an intuitive digital platform. This shift not only ensures easier access to updated IEP documents, progress reports, and service provider details but also facilitates more effective communication with educators, making it easier to track their child’s educational journey and advocate for their needs.

3. Educators (Special and General Education Teachers): Educators are provided with streamlined tools to reduce the administrative overload of paperwork and compliance, allowing them to focus more on teaching and less on bureaucracy. IEP&Me simplifies the process of understanding and implementing each student's accommodations by providing clear, easy-to-access information that supports both special and general education teachers. This unified system helps in maintaining consistency in how educational plans are executed and monitored across different teachers and service providers.

4. School Administrators and Service Providers: Our platform aids in coordinating efforts among all parties involved in a student's education. It ensures that service minutes are not just documented but optimized for impact, and facilitates real-time updates and communication across the school community, including external service providers. This cohesive approach helps in maintaining a high standard of educational delivery and compliance with legal standards.

In essence, IEP&Me significantly enhances the educational experience by ensuring that all parties involved have the tools and information they need to effectively support students with disabilities, thereby promoting better educational outcomes and a more inclusive learning environment.  This tool has already demonstrated the potential to demonstrate outcomes at a global scale, increasing the opportunity for impact. 

The IEP&Me team brings together a group of highly skilled professionals with deep roots in education, particularly in special education, alongside significant expertise in engineering, design, and research. Our team lead, Coretta Martin, and our CEO Bridgette Leslie, are not only co-founders of the company but also seasoned veterans in the K-12 educational landscape, boasting a combined 25 years of experience.

Bridgette Leslie, serving as CEO, possesses profound knowledge in the needs and expectations of special education teachers, inclusion classroom settings, and individual learning requirements. Her experience extends to collaborating closely with families and pioneering best practices and innovations in special education and personalized learning. Her role as contractor security liaison is underpinned by her regular coordination with legal and accounting teams to monitor changes in state employment regulations, manage investment or equity-based contracts, and oversee all administrative functions within the company.

Coretta Martin, as the ideal project director, brings a comprehensive set of skills in leadership, team management, and special education compliance and effectiveness. Her extensive background includes roles such as Chief Academic Officer, where she was responsible for supervising academic leaders and ensuring synergy among cross-functional teams. Her experience covers areas such as teaching and learning, data and technology, equity and engagement, and compliance and development. Coretta has also demonstrated her capability in managing large-scale projects through her consultancy roles at esteemed organizations like TNTP, Inspiring Teachers, and Achievement Network.

Together, Coretta and Bridgette have assembled a diverse and talented team, ensuring that IEP&Me has the knowledge and expertise to deliver a superior software solution. This solution is designed not only to meet the complex needs of our users but also to enhance the special education process through a focus on inclusivity and legal compliance. Their combined experiences and leadership are integral to the team’s capacity to ideate, create, and refine effective and impactful educational technology solutions.

We have a fully built out tool for both implementation and federal compliance in the US education space.  We are piloting in 20 schools in the United States and 5 schools in Nigeria.  

As we scale our operations, we anticipate that we will encounter various barriers where the MIT Solve community's support could be pivotal. Specifically, we are seeking guidance to refine our business model to ensure it is both scalable and financially sustainable, maintaining a focus on educational equity. This includes exploring diverse revenue streams such as subscription models and district-wide licenses, and integrating with existing educational technologies, where Solve mentors' expertise would be invaluable.

Moreover, enhancing our public relations and marketing strategies is essential to increase awareness and adoption of our platform. We aim to develop a compelling marketing approach that effectively reaches and resonates with multiple stakeholders within the education sector, including school districts and special education professionals. Assistance from Solve's network in crafting and deploying targeted messaging and outreach campaigns would significantly boost our visibility and impact.

In terms of monitoring and evaluation, establishing robust mechanisms to assess the qualitative and quantitative impacts of our platform is crucial for continuous improvement and to demonstrate its efficacy. We look to the Solve community for access to academic and industry experts who can aid in developing frameworks that leverage data-driven insights to refine our services continuously.

Additionally, the education technology market presents complex regulatory, procurement, and adoption challenges. Support from Solve could facilitate smoother market entry and ensure compliance with educational standards and privacy laws by providing insights into navigating these segmented landscapes.

Technical and legal expertise provided through Solve would also be critical as we expand. Keeping abreast of the latest developments in software security, data privacy, and adherence to educational laws like IDEA and FERPA in the United States is paramount. Legal and technical advisors within the Solve network would help ensure our platform not only meets current standards but is also prepared for future regulatory changes.

Our goal in applying to the MIT Solve program is not solely to secure funding but to forge strategic partnerships that enhance our operational capabilities, broaden our reach, and ultimately deliver a more impactful, equitable educational experience for students with disabilities. By tapping into the collective expertise, partnerships, and mentorship opportunities offered by Solve, we hope to overcome the significant barriers we face and achieve lasting change in the field of special education.