At the Center: Solving Staff Shortages Through Values-Driven Practices

Thank you for joining us At the Center! In today's episode, host Dean Constantopoulos speaks with the Director of Operations for Center for Special Education Services Jessica Armour about what CSES does and why we practice the way we do. We talk about struggles that school districts deal with in the field of special education, particularly staff shortages, and how CSES's values-driven practices help us to provide crucial services to school districts around the Midwest. Come and have a listen with us here, At the Center! 

Transcript

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Dean 0:01

Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, whatever time you're listening. The world of special education can seem a bit overwhelming. For families trying to support their kids to district leaders working to balance compliance, timelines, real student outcomes, the processes can seem daunting. But that's where we come in. This podcast, brought to you by the Center for Special Education Services, is here to help guide you through the special education landscape. So come and join us here at the center. I hope you're having a great day, whatever time you're listening, and thank you for joining us at the center, your one-stop shop for all of the important conversations taking center stage in special education. My name is Dean Constantopoulos, and I'll be your host. And I'm joined today with the director of operations for the Center for Special Education Services, Jessica Armour. Jessica, thank you for joining us today.

Jessica 0:56

Thank you for inviting me, Dean.

Dean 0:57

Oh, of course. So let's talk a little bit about the Center for Special Education Services. So, what is CSES and um what is your role within the company?

Jessica 1:08

Yeah. Um, so CSES is a family-owned company. Uh, we are a company that is um focused on in-person special education evaluations, whether those are psychological evaluations, social work evaluations, SLP, uh, PTOT. We also provide ADOS evaluations, uh, early childhood evaluations. We have an extensive bilingual team. Uh, and we are now moving into providing PD or professional development services and training. Um, again, you know, the focus of our model is in-person services. Uh, so we leverage our team of clinicians. Um, our corporate team is also comprised of educators and clinicians in order to provide uh that that uh array of services.

Dean 1:54

So something I wanted to touch on really quick. You said it's in-person services. And I know that just kind of in the world today, the world seems to be going really remote, really virtual for a lot of things. Um and this has to be difficult on some of our special education staff, particularly in school districts, who are kind of expecting more of that relationship with a contractor. So could you tell us a little bit more about why this is such an important part of the C SES brand? Sure.

Jessica 2:27

Yeah. You know, I think districts, uh particularly district special education directors, are under a lot of pressure right now. Um, they're under a lot of pressure to find solutions for really severe staffing shortages. Um and so often remote services are not the best fit. Um, they're not the first choice, but they can relieve some of that pressure for special education directors. Um at CSES, we have a team of clinicians who truly believes that um in-person services uh are what is needed in order to do the job right. So, yes, you're right. While things like travel time, scheduling, logistics, those are all you know challenges that we face with providing in-person services. But um, you know, in order to provide the services that are of sufficient quality, we feel that it's necessary.

Dean 3:12

So if there is a school district that is looking to get staffing help from a service provider such as CSES, but they're making, they want to make sure that they're meeting deadlines and that they are addressing all of this pressure that you're talking about. Uh, what would you say to them to give them some reassurance that our model is the right model to go with?

Jessica 3:37

Yeah. Um, you know, what I would tell them is first and foremost that we are a values-driven team of educators that are uh really using ethics to inform our decisions. You know, being a clinician myself, um, you know, I have um worked in schools, I've also worked in a clinical research capacity. And so, you know, ethics has always been something that has driven uh a lot of our decisions. And so what I would tell them is that, you know, our model is built around in-person services because, again, you know, nothing replaces that from our perspective. Um, and, you know, it's it's really the work that we want to do as clinicians. So again, guided by those principles, guided by the idea that, you know, nothing is going to replace that in-person experience. Um, you know, I would tell them that there are hidden costs uh at times to providing these remote services, that, you know, sometimes the burden uh is shifted over to staff because they are expected to coordinate those evaluations and sit with students, for example, during those evaluations. Um, you know, also there's a discussion to be had about what is legally defensible in terms of remote evaluations. Um, so you know, I would I would ask them to, and this is what we hear from many of our directors, is that, you know, after they have worked with a similar service and they consider all of the hidden costs and liabilities that um, you know, with the option of CSES, with the option for in-person, that is a clear choice.

Dean 5:07

So, and you had also mentioned that you're a clinician yourself, you've worked in the school district, and this company is also uh run by a number of folks who are clinicians or have worked in education. How does that, how does that perspective shape the direction that the company is going and and how the company operates?

Jessica 5:27

Yeah, um, I think, you know, working with educators on a daily basis that are, you know, house at our district partners, um, you know, and working with students on a daily basis, you really realize the gravity of the work that you're doing, of the critical importance of the work that you're doing. Um and so it is much easier to consider the the values-driven prospect of this work. Um, you know, many years ago, um I started working on R01 research projects um through some of the academic medical centers in the city here. Um and, you know, in that circumstance, working with medically fragile children, um, you will you learn that you need guiding principles, you need standards, you need um, you know, a core set of values that you communicate uh to not only districts, but to the staff that you want to work with. Um and so we are very, very clear in terms of being guided by those principles and alignment with those principles, with, you know, contractors that we're interested in hiring, but also um all of our corporate staff. So all of our corporate staff, whether you are working with someone for billing or you're working with someone to help to schedule evaluations, all the way through, um, you are working with an educator because we feel that's not a revenue-driven decision, that is a values-driven decision. Because when districts reach out to us and they have a question or they have a concern or they need some clarification, being able to speak their language and being able to come from a place of shared understanding just alleviates some of that pressure, gives them some of their time back and their mental energy. And so, you know, that is something that we feel is of critical importance.

Dean 7:10

So you have mentioned a few times now, talking about the ethical foundation and the values that CSES has. And I know myself, just working from working in the education field, a lot of school districts are experiencing a lot of pressure, like you said, about uh staffing shortages, um, a lot of turnover and such. And this has caused ultimately a lot more staffing agencies to be used in the school districts. Coming from the school district, school districts yourself. Uh, what's what do you feel the current impression of some of these staffing companies is in the school districts?

Jessica 7:47

Yeah, you're right in that my experience does inform uh how we respond to the what I'll call the reputation problem that staffing industry, the staffing industry is facing, especially in education. Um, you know, I have worked with various staffing agencies as an educator in the schools. Um, and I've also worked with districts from the perspective of a uh a contractor. And I will say that, you know, with the understanding that there is this uh, you know, chronic kind of issue with the reputation of staffing agencies, and you know, might I say it is warranted in some cases, um, that we feel that it's our responsibility uh to rebuild that trust through consistency and through quality. Um, and we know we can do that. You know, um our goal isn't that districts become dependent on us. Uh, the goal is that we can become long-term partners and that we can show through the work and we can show through being driven by the same values that school districts are, um, that we can uh, you know, develop that trusting relationship over time.

Dean 8:53

And so building a trusting relationship, uh what are what are some of the other core values that CSES really holds dear when looking to partner with districts when um when trying to get on the same page with our contractors, even?

Jessica 9:09

Yeah. So, you know, we are driven, again, we we communicate these values. We are driven by a set of values, you know, first and foremost, that we have to serve three stakeholders simultaneously, that we have to serve um our districts, we have to serve our clinicians, we have to serve serve students. And so, you know, anytime that there is a misalignment in terms of, you know, uh a balance of those three stakeholders, we feel that it is a systems problem from our, from our, from our end, from our perspective. And so that's something that we are driven to fix. Um, we also feel that we are driven by the values of consistency, transparency, and quality. Uh, that, you know, ethical practice isn't just uh values and isn't just intentions. It's building systems that support the work that you want to do.

Dean 9:57

So, and where do you see some of these challenges? And where do you see some of these shortcomings from staffing agencies that are currently working with districts? How does CSES address those specific uh those specific shortages?

Jessica 10:11

Yeah, you know, I think the major one that I would touch on here is the idea that um, you know, staffing agencies at times can be viewed as um contributing to the problem, as contributing to the problem of shortages and as competing with districts. And so we have very thoughtfully curated um methods that will allow us to support districts without impeding um their ability to hire their own staff. And so there's a few ways we do that. Uh first is that unlike traditional staffing agencies, we don't expect a contract uh that will pair a district with a contractor and span the full year so that there's no option for the district to then hire uh if they're able to throughout the school year.

Dean 10:54

So I thought that uh from my understanding, a lot of these companies are looking for that exclusive contract.

Jessica 11:01

Yes.

Dean 11:01

So you're saying that CSES is not necessarily doing that?

Jessica 11:05

Yeah. And you know, the system is built so that many of these contract companies or firms are driven by speed and are driven by revenue. And so you can understand that perspective that, you know, there is a need to uh develop a method to secure the work throughout the year. But again, you know, we've we've tried to be creative in our approach so that we don't require uh that kind of longer-term commitment. So what we ask is that districts utilize us uh for whether that's you know a short-term maternity coverage or it could be, you know, to support a number of um open positions through throughout the year. Um, we support that compliance piece. So we will provide the evaluation support that your district needs in order to stay compliant, maintain that compliance. However, uh, you know, if you have the opportunity to hire a full-time staff member uh as the year progresses, uh, then we're happy to pull back, you know, and provide that support in a flexible way. Um so that's one way. That's one way that we do uh provide kind of support for districts and make sure that we're contributing, we're not contributing to the problem. And the second way, you know, that we make sure that we are aligned with the district in terms of their ultimate goal is that we do not contribute to the problem of shortages by poaching district staff. Um, you know, we don't feel like that's a sustainable option just to kind of shift the shortage around. Um, and so what we have done is move to uh more of a recruitment model where we are leveraging uh individuals who may not be uh employed in the school district, may who may have left the field because of things like you know, family, family obligations or um, you know, burnout, or just you know, an incompatibility with working with a district. And so ultimately, there our goal is to not contribute uh further to the shortages that districts are experiencing by by recruiting their potential staff, um, but by but by increasing uh the the pool of uh of school psychologists, of SLPs, of clinicians, uh, by bringing in those folks who would not otherwise uh be employed by the district and providing them with the essential support that they need to uh you know participate um in education, uh to make sure that they feel comfortable and confident through our uh wraparound supports uh by our clinical staff.

Dean 13:24

That's amazing. And it does just from speaking with you about the this ethical piece about CSES, it sounds like you we really are prioritizing our values and what we hold dear and what we feel that we can truly collaborate with district partners with, um, versus uh things like the business side or or just revenue and things like that. Uh what are what are some other ways that you feel that CSES really sticks to our values over worrying about that revenue piece?

Jessica 14:00

Yeah, there are many ways. There are many ways that we um make sure that we are driven again by outcomes and not income, um, and that we are doing the work um in a way that's responsible and thoughtful. Um I'll revisit this idea that being values driven doesn't just mean having intentions, but it means designing systems uh that work for stakeholders. Yes. Um and so the first way that I think uh is important for us to talk about is that we provide um supervision. Um, we provide, you know, a level of a titrated level of support for our contract staff depending on their needs. Um, you know, first and foremost, a there is a set of eyes uh that is a second set of eyes that views every single report uh before they go from clinician to district. Um and the purpose of that is just for a quality check. Um, again, that's not a revenue-driven decision. Um, this is not something that we see a return on. Uh, this is something that we feel is of critical importance for um our values alignment with stakeholders.

Dean 15:03

Yeah. So you're really taking the time to make sure that we're meeting these ethical conditions and values regardless of how much time it takes or or extra time it takes.

Jessica 15:15

Right. And uh, you know, our clinical team of supervisors not only provides that support for written documents and, you know, that again, that second set of eyes, um, but they're also providing um, you know, a varied level of support, whether that's regular professional development or training. Um, and that can move all the way to wraparound support uh for contractors who are re-entering the field. And so what we have defined is a a very specific uh set of um a very specific set of objectives that we need our contractors to meet in order to provide the quality kind of um deliverables that we expect. And so we're able to do that through that wraparound support. Another way that we have, again, been driven by the outcomes uh and been driven by shared values with our stakeholders, is that we have moved from a manual system of referral. So what that looks like is a district when they have a student that they uh need support, evaluation services, again, whether that's for a psychologist, a bilingual psychologist, SLP, OTPT, um, you know, early childhood team, ADOS team, a variety of bilingual clinicians, regardless of what type of support they need, um, we were asking uh district staff to enter in manually a variety of pieces of demographic information about students and documents. Um, and this was um a relatively labor-intensive process, um, you know, in including uh, you know, the back end of if you had follow-up questions about who the clinician was and you know, um specifics about what time they may be out or where the the case was, um, you know, what the status of the case was, all of this um would require the districts to reach out to us, you know, via email or phone and get that information. And, you know, while we were happy to hear from um our district partners and while we were happy to provide that information, it was burdensome. And so we have invested substantial resources into developing um our proprietary dashboard, our proprietary system of now accepting referrals that's built on automation and that leverages kind of a centralized data housing and data management uh source that allows us to not only make sure that all of the information is centralized and is available for our district partners when they need it and where they need it, um, but also gives them that time back, gives them the time back that they were spending looking for that information. So this was really a response to pain points that were brought to us by district staff. Um, you know, we take uh data multiple times a year regarding, you know, the district attitudes towards our practices and our operations. And so we have, you know, utilized much of that information to develop this platform. Um, this is not something that was available out of the box. This is something that we have developed, you know, very specifically that we have curated to be suitable for our district partners. Um so that system, um, we have implemented that. It's taken about a year to develop. Uh we are implementing it uh as of this past August. So um it's been a number of months, and we have seen uh really, really amazing results as um, you know, as a function of implementing the system.

Dean 18:32

Absolutely. So, and you had mentioned prior to this proprietary platform that houses all this information, that you've been doing it pretty manually, that in the districts have been doing it manually. So what did it what give us some examples of what it looked like beforehand, before the the uh the introduction to this proprietary platform?

Jessica 18:52

Yeah, so you know, come going along with um doing things a new and different way and looking at uh how we can improve um the plight that many educators are experiencing in a different way, comes the need for new and revolutionary systems. And so um, you know, previously we were able to support, given the scope of the work that we were doing, um, utilizing a number of uh of software uh uh forms. So we were utilizing Google Sheets, for example, a variety of Google Sheets to collect and house information. Um we were relying heavily on email in order to communicate or send reports back and forth. Uh we were relying on, you know, again, those very manual forms of information, data entry and data and data support. So yeah, again, so just kind of a variety of Google Sheets, email, the most basic kind of forms of data management that you that you could imagine. And so, you know, in moving from that to now, um, you know, with our revolutionary kind of um proprietary dashboard, uh, what it looks like now is that you have um a beautiful interface uh to log into. Each district has their own unique interface that they're able to log into. And um, from that interface, they're able to do a variety of things, including refer a student for any of uh the services that we've previously mentioned, and also to manage all of the cases that they have submitted. Uh so again, whether that's uh a testing or whether that's a meeting, um, so a pre-evaluation or a post-evaluation meeting that they would like our contractors to attend, all of that, um all of those referrals are accepted through that system. Um, and then those referrals are managed through the system. So unlike previous years, district staff are able to log in and manage view request changes to any of the information that they have entered. Um, and you know, that has led to, again, speed, efficiency, which are important, but what's most important is that it has left it has led to a measurable increase in quality and consistency.

Dean 21:01

Yeah. So and and that's kind of um what that's kind of what I was gonna follow up on is what is it uh what does that look like now, uh like on the district side, now that they it has been a few months of this change and uh what what do you feel the payoff's been for these districts?

Jessica 21:20

Yeah, so you know, from from a anecdotal standpoint, we have seen approximately a 90% increase in customer service uh concerns or issues that have been raised.

Dean 21:30

It's amazing.

Jessica 21:30

Yeah, we're very proud of that. We're very proud of that. Um, you know, we again send out surveys uh to request information from our districts about how things have been going and how implementation of this new system uh has been has been for you know their staff. And we are hearing fantastic, fantastic uh feedback uh regarding, you know, especially from our districts who were with us previously and have moved to the new system. We are planning to do a more data based look at how the system has. Improved services. Again, we are driven by doing things ethically, doing things the right way. And so to us, part of what that means is let's really look from a data-informed perspective. Let's go from a proactive and less reactive perspective on how the system has, in you know, very measurable databased ways, improved services and how can we utilize the data that we're now collecting in order to proactively uh improve services as we move forward.

Dean 22:27

And you know what it also sounds like, just based on this ever-changing landscape of special education and the ever-changing landscape of technology, um, it sounds like it this is not the end of the road for this proprietary platform either. Um, could you touch a little bit about how any plans to move forward, new things that maybe um we would like to address in in the future?

Jessica 22:52

Yeah, that's exactly right. Um, you know, we view this as a continual work in progress, uh, and we view this as a tool for our district uh partners. And so what comes along with that is that we will constantly evaluate what is working and what isn't working, and you know, from what perspective uh are we viewing the information? Are we seeing it in the same uh light as our district partners? You know, and what can we continue to implement or change that will improve their perspective, their experience? Uh so, you know, all of this will be and continues to be data-informed decision making about how to improve systems, how to continue to uh, you know, leverage the information that we receive from districts so that we can do this the right way.

Dean 23:36

So it really is, it really sounds like a collaborative effort between us and our districts that we work with because we want to provide them with what they need based on the supports that they're that they require for the school year or or for their district specifically. Uh now I wanted to touch base a little bit more of when we're talking about supporting districts and on this topic. So we we have our proprietary platform uh and we have uh a team full of educators and clinicians who are very knowledgeable and can speak the language of our districts. What are some of the other ways that we are able to provide support? I know you had mentioned earlier that uh we're not impeding the hiring process uh when districts are looking for uh staff members and staffing agencies to join for these evaluations. Does this correct me if I'm wrong, but does that sort of create any competition in our field or does that set us back a little bit? Uh what are your feelings on that?

Jessica 24:38

No, I don't think it sets us back uh because I think that we view ourselves in some ways as creating a new path. Uh and so when you consider traditional processes, traditional methods, we're hoping uh that we are unlike the others that are available. Um so in that way, I think we are hoping that we're building long-term relationships with districts. So we're not focused on the short-term, we're not focused on short-term revenues. Um, what we're focused on is building sustainable long-term relationships. And so to us, what that looks like is that if a district is able to hire, uh, then we know that if we have done our job, if we have built something that is consistent and something that is of high quality and of value to our districts, then they'll call us back whether they need, you know, piecemeal support or overflow support or if they have future needs. So there is a path for us. There is a way, again, to value the needs of all stakeholders and to consider how we can work collaboratively and still all meet uh, you know, the the goal of the ultimate goal.

Dean 25:45

Right. And all based within that ethical piece and making sure we all share that that um those same values, which ultimately is supporting our students and our families. Um, so let's just say do a little role play. Let's just say I am a um a director and I've worked with some of these staffing come staffing companies before. And honestly, I feel a little burned by them. Um what do you feel? What what would you say to somebody who is interested in their listening to the podcast, they're they are sharing the same values, but they don't want to get burned again by another staffing agency.

Jessica 26:24

First and foremost, I would acknowledge the pressure that district sped directors are facing when trying to address these shortages and how frustrating that it must be when those plans don't work out. Um, you know, what I would what I would suggest uh in that situation, when you're feeling likely burnt out and frustrated, uh, is to consider a few things. Um first, I would say to uh revisit the idea of remote services, um, you know, because the upfront costs, the idea of the upfront cost versus uh the hidden costs, to consider the burden that it's placing on your district staff uh to support those evaluations, uh, to consider the defensibility of those evaluations if that ever comes to pass, um, and also to consider the values alignment uh that you have with the companies that you have been working with. Um, you know, in terms of CSES, how are they providing the transparency that you need? Do you have partnerships with uh, you know, the central office staff, you know, the kind of partnerships that we value here, where if you have a concern or have an issue, you have that consistent staff that you can reach out to so that you can get the answers that you need? Um, do they support the quality that you need through like CSES, the supervisory staff that we employ in order to maintain the consistency and quality of the reports that we deliver and also just of the contract staff that we employ? Um, and do they offer the flexibility that districts need? I think this is often lost that um, you know, the flexibility districts need to continue to pursue those hiring endeavors. So, you know, hiring once a year can be difficult, but if you have the flexibility that uh CSES provides, uh, you know, that that support that is flexible in terms of when it's applied and how it's applied, you can continue to pursue those hiring efforts. Um, you know, overall, I will say when there's a focus on this long-term collaborative relationship that we've discussed, um, that you can sense uh, you know, if there is the structure there to have these multi-year relationships. Um, you know, our new system that we have discussed, one of the features that we've put in place is that referrals can be made at any time. So whether a district has a need now or next year or in a week from now, once uh we have provided the onboarding for staff and the support that they need in order to use the system, uh then they can utilize that system at any point. So the mental effort, again, the draining kind of uh monotony of researching and searching and finding solutions, uh, you have a ready-to-go solution available.

Dean 28:57

That's that's incredible. And I'm sure really reassuring to hear uh for some of our districts. And you know, it's not only the our districts that we do have all these supports and and have these feelings of our ethical collaboration and that shared value uh with. We also feel that same way about our contractors. And I know that uh there are a number of contractors who have come from the working directly in a district or coming from some other staffing companies. What do you feel are some of the pulls, um, so to speak, for a contractor to join us here at CSES versus another staffing agency?

Jessica 29:41

I think as a team of clinicians, we can all uh understand how demanding that the work is. Um, and so we feel as if it is a shared responsibility of uh, you know, our central office staff as well as the contractors to provide, you know, respect, flexibility, support that contractors need in order to do the job well. Um, I think often school psychologists, SLPs, many of many of the clinicians can feel as if they're on an island, um, you know, and then they're isolated and they don't have uh, you know, the support or the context that they need in order to reach out if they have questions or concerns. And so we uh try to combat that with regular check-ins, um, you know, wraparound supports as necessary, uh, clinical staff available to contractors at any point and at any time, um, trainings, PDs. So we work very hard in order to preserve what our contractors love about doing the work while mitigating some of the more challenging aspects of that.

Dean 30:36

And correct me if I'm wrong, um, but it's not just contractors that are currently in the field right now that can uh that can join us if a contractor, let's just say a psychologist, has been out of the field for a little bit and they wanted to get back into the special education field through CSES. Uh, is that something that they're able to do?

Jessica 30:55

Absolutely. And, you know, we've referenced this, uh, but again, it's really more about values alignment. So we are looking for staff, uh contract staff, clinicians that share the values that we've talked about today, that um, you know, understand that there is no replacing in-person services or in-person evaluations and that are interested in continuing the work that they loved, uh, but in a way that is new and different and allows for a new path. Uh so, yes, if someone has, for example, um, you know, been a stay-at-home parent for the last number of years and is interested in coming back into the field, but feels intimidated by that, we welcome that. We welcome those clinicians who have the high-level skills, who perhaps just need a refresher or need a little bit of assurance and support coming back into the field.

Dean 31:41

That sounds amazing for anybody uh who is currently uh listening and maybe looking for an opportunity to uh to put their foot back in into the pool of special education. You know, and oh, I'm so sorry.

Jessica 31:54

And you know, um districts, again, we're trying to create a new pathway, we're trying to create a new um pool of applicants, a new pool of individuals who can do the work. And so, you know, districts often don't have the critical time um resources available to them in order to bring staff back in, you know, to find and recruit those staff that have left the field and to provide them with the wraparound support that's necessary for them to come back in a way that they feel confident. And so we like to believe that we are providing that as a service to districts to bring these individuals back into the fold uh without the district having to put out, you know, having to having to um, you know, utilize all of these supports and resources.

Dean 32:33

That's incredible. So it sounds like CSES is just on its way to to bigger and better things. I we are currently expanding into new states and we're developing new services. Uh what are so so tell us some of this expansion that's going on. Where where are we heading to and what sorts of new things are on the horizon?

Jessica 32:53

Yeah, and what we know is that the new, the new, the novel approach that we are utilizing is working. Um, you know, it's something that it's a need uh that we're finding a tremendous, uh, you know, a tremendous need for. And so what we see is that we are experiencing unbelievable growth and some years exponential growth over the last few years in terms of uh, you know, the services that we're providing for our district partners. So growth is on the horizon. However, and we'll we'll we'll say it again, uh, you know, it's outcome, not income. And so we are driven by making sure that the growth is done responsibly. Um, you know, again, speed uh and efficiency are values that bring in revenue, but it's not our primary value. Our primary value is making sure that we provide these services in a way that it's done uh where we're not sacrificing quality. Um so if we need to slow down this progress, we will, and we have uh, you know, for example, expansion into other states, uh, it's critical for us from an ethical perspective to make sure that we have a comprehensive understanding of that state, have boots on the ground in that state uh that can provide, you know, the the critical kind of um nuanced knowledge that goes along with practicing in that state.

Dean 34:11

Um I guess each state has their own specific uh principles and protocols that they follow, correct?

Jessica 34:18

Absolutely. Absolutely. Um, you know, some states more than others. And realistically, every district has their own individualized needs. And so, you know, we have put into place that clinical staff, that clinical support at our central office, whose primary job it is to determine the those differences between states, between districts, and to work with the districts directly to make sure that their staff feel supported as we kind of explore and uh address those differences.

Dean 34:47

So and so growing, of course, comes with a lot of change. And a lot of it is positive change. Um, but what are in so I know that this change will bring new challenges, new pressures, uh, but what are some core principles for that CSES strives and believes in that we are unwilling to sacrifice as we grow bigger?

Jessica 35:12

Yeah, and you know, we discussed values as not just being ideas, um, their infrastructure. And so, you know, I can discuss some specific examples of, you know, there have been times where we are faced with uh the opportunity to grow and we've and we've chosen to do so in a more thoughtful way. Um, we are driven again by the idea that we can um replicate quality without compromise, if done so the right way. Um and so, for example, with things like developing professional development or trainings, um, we ensure that we have, you know, industry experts. We ensure that our approaches are evidence-based and are informed by uh best practices. Um, and you know, in terms of uh, again, moving into new states, um moving into new states of practice, that we have ample, ample staff with sufficient, more than sufficient, with high-level clinical knowledge on the nuances of that state so that they can serve as leaders uh in our district partners' buildings and meetings and can address those kind of legal questions that often uh come to pass.

Dean 36:16

So for anybody that's listening, where are we currently based in now in the US? Which states are we in?

Jessica 36:22

Yeah, so right now, um our central office is located in Northbrook, Illinois. Um, so you know, the the proportion, the large, the vast majority of our uh district partners are located here in Illinois, but we also um are practicing in Michigan, um, and we are moving into uh Indiana and Wisconsin as well.

Dean 36:41

That's amazing. Ah, there's so much on the horizon and and so much to look forward to for the future of the company, but also in the future of education. I mean, the world is kind of changing, it's becoming more virtual. Tech technology is bigger than it's ever been before. Where do you see um, where do you see the future of education being? How do you how do you see that looking? Does it look the same as it does now or or does it look a little bit different?

Jessica 37:08

You know, I I mentioned my background in clinical research, um, but you know, I've also been an adjunct professor uh for the last 10 years, you know, working in various levels of education, working in school districts all the way from you know early childhood through through high school. Um, and the one thing that we can see across, uh, you know, across various types of education is that it's tough right now. It's tough. Um, it's a challenge that, you know, exactly as you're mentioning, there are changes occurring that are hard to keep up with. There are challenges that we're facing that seem insurmountable. Um, but I am hopeful because of the people, the people that we encounter every day. Um, yes, there are, there may be bad actors uh, you know, that are looking to profit off of the challenges that we see currently. But um what I see most often is deeply committed, thoughtful uh professionals who constantly give of themselves for uh the well-being of children. And so, you know, at the end of the day, um, you know, I feel as if the future is really bright in education.

Dean 38:11

So kind of culminating in all of this, if we, if a listener is listening and they're thinking, wow, this is exactly what I'm looking for, CICS really aligns with my values and what I feel is the right path in special education, how could they learn more about us? How can they uh how can they find out how they can reach out to us and partner with us potentially?

Jessica 38:33

Yeah, great. So, you know, whether you are a um a clinical professional or if you are a district uh partner, a potential district partner, we welcome the opportunity to discuss uh your needs, to discuss your goals, um, and to visit how we can uh support those. And so there are a variety of ways that you can learn more about us. We have a our website, uh www.csesgroup.com. On the website, you can learn more and you can also uh submit a request for more information or to meet with one of our uh central office staff. Um we also have um LinkedIn, so please feel free to reach out and connect with us on LinkedIn where you can keep up with new service um offerings and where you can keep up with perhaps where we'll be attending conferences and you can visit us uh over at our booths in in those circumstances. Um and if you just are looking for general information, you can always reach out to us at info at csesgroup.com.

Dean 39:30

Thank you so much, Jessica, for joining us today. Uh, this has been a lot of amazing information. And so if somebody wanted to reach out to you directly and had any questions about anything we've talked about today, what's the best way to reach out to you?

Jessica 39:43

Sure. Well, I welcome email outreach uh from any uh listener. Uh you can reach me at J A R M O U R at C SESgroup.com. You can also find that email address on our website.

Dean 39:54

Excellent. Jessica, thank you again so much for joining. And for everyone listening, stay tuned for next time. Thank you so much for joining us at the center. If you're looking for more information about the Center for Special Education Services and what we can provide, head over to our website at www.csesgroup.com to learn more. Thank you so much, and we'll catch you next time.