How Embrace504® sped up 504 documentation management for Lena-Winslow

Both Dr. Andrew Lobdell and Ann DeZell, High School Principal at Lena-Winslow School District #202, emphasize that it was important for their district’s leadership team that the software provide ease in getting parental consent, completing 504 forms, and collaboration between general and special education staff—key goals of using Embrace504®.

Recalling the most recent 504 meeting, Andrew shared what he appreciated most about conducting the meeting with the support of Embrace504®.

"It was a streamlined process that began with consent and all the necessary forms we had to complete. Everything was laid out page by page,” Andrew said.

Ann DeZell confirmed that the 504 process was “pretty easy” for her and her team.

“I don't do it very often, and it didn't take me very long to get through it, so I guess it was a little bit more streamlined… I wrote one over our spring break for a student who was newly diabetic, and it went well,” Ann recalled.

Improved collaboration between staff

The ability to create a 504 plan summary document in Embrace504® enabled staff to exchange information on students’ needs and priorities more quickly, with minimal time and effort required.

“The summary page that comes from the 504 is very nice. It's like a one page document for teachers to look at, summarizes the whole 504 process in one page for the most part. So I think that's good,” Andrew explained. “If I look at the whole plan sometimes, [it] has more information than is needed. So the summary page,... I feel, is a little bit more condensed and easier to read.”

Ann confirmed the value of the 504 summary feature and added, “I usually just make a pdf of the summary page and send it to them, try to streamline it for them, show them what they need to know.”

Improved compliance across staff

When asked what they think contributed to making the district’s 504 workflow management more compliant, Ann highlighted the ability to set evaluation goals in Embrace504®.

“That's what I'm in the most, and those are the things that help us make sure that our teachers are compliant and that everybody's doing what they're supposed to be doing, and that we're providing the best educational opportunities that we can for kids,” Ann explained.

“I think that it streamlines that process, and it helps us be compliant as a district to make sure that our teachers are doing the things that they need to do in order to be successful here and help our students to be successful.”

Improved following of federal and state regulations
Built to help districts not only manage their 504 documentation more efficiently but also comply with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Embrace504® has proven to be a key benefit for Lena-Winslow.

“I know having [Embrace504®] now helps us meet the Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). So having it allows us to be in compliance with the law,” Andrew added.

Ease of communication and data exchange with the co-op
According to Ann, having the full suite of Embrace® programs not only in their school or district, but across the entire co-op, improves communication on a broader level.

“From an IEP perspective, [Embrace®] helps us communicate with our co-op. So that gives us an opportunity to have communication between our Special Education Director, who is not on site every day, and she has the ability to go in and look at those documents and make sure that our teachers are again being compliant, and that, you know, if teachers are having trouble, and they call her for help, they both have the opportunity to log into that and make sure that the paperwork's getting done correctly, that every T is crossed and every i is dotted.”

Seamless integration and data exchange with EmbraceIEP® software
“The other thing with the 504, which is nice, is, if a kid does continue to struggle after getting a 504, the 504 data, just like the MTSS data, rolls into the IEP software. So it all talks to each other,” Andrew explained.

In addition to integrating with other programs in the Embrace® suite, Embrace504® also integrates with most Student Information Systems via SFTP to keep student data in sync.

Built-in bank of accommodations
According to Andrew, the program makes it very easy for staff to select accommodations—not just in the 504 software, but in EmbraceIEP as well.

“There's usually a bank of options. So, for accommodations, you click on the bank, and it gives you a bunch of options, and it also gives you the option or flexibility to type in your own, if you need to. I think that helps parents and teachers sometimes to come up with some answers,” Andrew explained.

Quick reponses from Customer Support
Ann commented that she does not encounter many issues with the software. However, she receives help quickly from the Embrace® Support team when needed.

“My experience with customer service has always been good, put in a request, and somebody usually calls you back pretty quick. So, any problems that I've had with it over my tenure here, they've been dealt with quickly and and well.”