Successful Student Service Delivery

Students today receive multiple services in school. Services range from special education services, physical/occupational therapy, adaptive physical education, math/reading boost/coaching, guidance, speech, and more.

When done well, these services make school more engaging and profitable to students by allowing children to access learning with greater strength and joy. Also, due to the wonderful assessments and tools we have today, we are able to target and meet students' program goals with greater specificity, assessment, and result.

The challenge with all these services and potential is coordination and communication. This coordination and communication can be a complex task, one that can result in lost potential without guiding protocols and commitment. Shared protocols can help to guide service delivery in successful ways. Here are some protocols schools might consider.

• Classroom and special educators related to specific service delivery(s) are expected to meet prior to the start of the service delivery year to discuss meeting times, service delivery focus, curriculum, assessment, and communication.
• Communication protocols will be established at the start of the school year including email expectations, meeting plans/schedules, parent communication, and assessment/reporting responsibility.
• Service delivery schedules will be created before the start of school each year.
• New student files will be evaluated before the school year starts by a designated educator, and if new students require services, those services will be planned prior to the start of school. 
• Service delivery, like classroom schedules, will begin on day one of the school year or as close to the first day of school as possible. 
• Service delivery goals, times, and days will be created with care and communicated well including a short list of student learning goals. 
• When possible, changes in the service delivery schedule or classroom events will be communicated with lead time so all involved will have time to shift plans and prepare materials.
• Service delivery goals will be short-listed and simplified so that all educators working with that child/children will have a clear understanding of the child's learning priorities.
• Service delivery is expected to be timely as often as possible.
• Educators will be expected to work together with a focus on a successful, learning program for each child receiving services. 

It can be difficult for educators to keep track of service delivery times, goals, and results.  This confusion can lead to less-than-optimal service delivery-classroom coordination and communication.  Hence I recommend that classroom teachers organize their class service delivery schedule and goals with a chart like the one below.  That chart can be placed in a clear sheet and located in an easy to reference position in the classroom.

Schools today are better than in the past thanks to the many laws and structures that have brought important services to schools. When I was young many of these services did not exist in schools, and I saw the damaging effects a lack of services had on students who needed those services. The best way to optimize these services is to make the time up front to create schedules and protocols that lead the services with a focus on teaching children well.