Special Education Services

OpenEd supports all learners, including those with special needs.

All students can access free tutoring, either one-on-one or in small groups, to get the guidance that they need. Eligible students can also receive support from our Special Education team.

How It Works

Once enrolled, your student is considered a full-time public school student at one of our partner schools. Each of these schools has a Special Education team that services IEPs and Section 504 Plans.

All SPED services are delivered online.

Special Education Pre-Referral Process

In accordance with federal and state law, if a student demonstrates signs of a learning disability or condition—such as speech difficulties—that may impact their ability to perform at grade level, a pre-referral process should be initiated by the parent or teacher. This process typically spans 4–6 weeks and includes documented interventions, observations, evaluations, and consistent monitoring of the student's progress.

This pre-referral phase is part of determining whether a student may be eligible for IEP or 504 services. During this time, formal interventions, testing, and data tracking help identify whether a learning disability is present or if other factors—such as the student's curriculum—may be contributing to the challenges.

Before proceeding, please note:

1. Curriculum Review:

If the evaluation team determines that a student's current curriculum is contributing to their difficulty progressing, they may be required to switch to a different provider for core subjects (e.g. BYU Independent Study, Edgenuity, etc.).

2. Purposes of Accommodations:

IEP/504 services provide additional tools and strategies to support student success within the general education curriculum—they do not replace the curriculum or modify state graduation requirements.

3. Long-Term Goal:

The ultimate aim of Special Education services is to help students learn how to manage their disability effectively so that, ideally within three years, they can access and succeed in the general education setting with greater independence.

Next Steps: Getting Started With The Pre-Referral Process

If you're ready to move forward, please follow these steps to begin gathering the necessary documentation.

1. Collect Student Work Samples:

Begin collecting student work samples over 2 weeks that clearly indicate the student's challenges with grade-level progress. Save all samples digitally as PDF or PNG files in a sharable folder (such as Google Drive or Dropbox).

2. Begin a Monitoring Journal:

Start a digital journal (document) where you record observations of the student during academic study times over a two week period. Please include 5-7 specific instances where you notice the student struggling with academic tasks.

State-Specific Information

Indiana

Students are considered full-time private school students at The American Academy - Indiana instead of public school students
The American Academy - Indiana does not provide special education services as a private school
Parents must contact their local boundary school (public school district) for special education services
The local public school district is responsible for IEP/504 development and special education services
OpenEd will provide reasonable accommodations if parents share their IEP/504 plans
Contact information provided: studentsuccess@opened.co

All students can access free tutoring, either one-on-one or in small groups, to get the guidance that they need. Eligible students can also receive support from our Student Success team. For more information, please reach out to our Student Success team at studentsuccess@opened.co.

How It Works

Once enrolled, your student is considered a full-time private school student at our partner school, The American Academy - Indiana. As a private school, The American Academy - Indiana does not provide special education services. If your child requires special education services, you should contact the local boundary school (public-school district) where you reside. The local public-school district is responsible for providing special education support, including Individualized Education and Section 504 Plan (IEP and 504) development and any required special education and related services.

These services may include, but are not limited to: speech therapy, occupational therapy, hearing and vision therapy. If you elect to share your child's IEP or 504 Plan with us, OpenEd will provide reasonable accommodations as outlined in your plan, including accommodations needed during standardized testing. We can also assist you in selecting appropriate curricula and resources and gathering the information the school district requires for the referral.

We're here to support you throughout your journey in meeting your student's needs. Please don't hesitate to reach out anytime for collaboration or assistance along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does OpenEd provide special education services?

Yes, OpenEd supports all learners including those with special needs. Most states provide special education services through partner public schools with dedicated Special Education teams that service IEPs and Section 504 Plans online. However, in Indiana, students attend a private school that doesn't provide special education services, so parents must contact their local public school district.

How long does the special education pre-referral process take?

The pre-referral process typically spans 4-6 weeks and includes documented interventions, observations, evaluations, and consistent monitoring of the student's progress. This process helps determine whether a student may be eligible for IEP or 504 services.

What should I do to start the special education referral process?

To begin the pre-referral process, you should: 1) Collect student work samples over 2 weeks that clearly show challenges with grade-level progress, saving them digitally as PDF or PNG files in a sharable folder, and 2) Start a monitoring journal documenting 5-7 specific instances where you notice the student struggling with academic tasks during study times over two weeks.

Will my child need to change curriculum if they receive special education services?

Not necessarily. However, if the evaluation team determines that a student's current curriculum is contributing to their difficulty progressing, they may be required to switch to a different provider for core subjects (e.g. BYU Independent Study, Edgenuity, etc.). IEP/504 services provide additional tools and strategies to support success within the general education curriculum—they don't replace the curriculum.

Special Education Services