Awareness + Autism Audits

As administrators, it is sometimes a difficult task to know how to support and provide the resources for a special education classroom. Having received my Masters Degree in Education and then passing the state of Texas certification test for an administrative license, I was shocked by the lack of classes and information provided to future administrators on special education which is critical in any school district. As you are aware, state and federal audits of school districts are becoming the norm. If you have never been through an audit, consider yourself quite fortunate. It is an extremely stressful time in the life of your district and especially the special education department.

I have personally gone through a state audit by the Texas Education Agency in a school district and heard the auditors’ questions about specific components of the IEP. I heard about how they pulled certain folders, went through them with a fine-tooth comb, and asked questions regarding the students’ schedule of services. The auditors then took certain folders and actually went to the different schools for each folder they had pulled to audit during their initial questioning. This led them to “walk” the students’ school schedule to see if what was noted on the IEP was actually occurring in reality. Some folders were of students who were in inclusive environments. Other folders were students in self-contained special education classrooms. It seemed as if the auditors left no stone unturned. They asked the general education staff about accommodations for the student whose folder they were holding. They visited the life skills classrooms to check for understanding of the IEP goals and objectives, as well as the modifications to the curriculum.  This was an intense moment for our district educators.

The final step in their audit was a parent forum where they asked the parents about the quality of services in the district. As special education staff, we were not allowed to attend the parent forum. As that evening approached, I saw the looks of anxiety in the eyes of my co-workers. All we could do was hope for the best and know that we had done the best we could with the knowledge we had at the time.

If you are facing an audit, or better yet, looking to proactively “self-audit” your program to minimize risk and ensure optimal programs, I specialize in district audits and would love to chat.