Solving a staffing gap in Texas

I realized Presence could solve our problems. I wanted to start right away.

Codi Kadlecek
Director of Elementary Education and Special Services at McDade ISD

About

McDade ISD serves nearly all students who reside in the small, yet diverse, agriculture-heavy community of McDade, Texas which is the home to both wealthy and multi-generational families living in poverty. The growing district consists of one PreK-6 school and one Grade 7-12 school, both of which are located on the same block along with the district’s other administrative buildings.

McDade ISD’s location and its inability to compete financially with larger districts, on top of the overall state and nationwide shortage of qualified clinicians, made it challenging to attract the providers needed to serve students in need of psychoeducational assessments. After being unable to attract a full-time, on-site diagnostician, the district’s special services team sought alternative options and hired a contractor to provide the assessments.

Solutions

Psychoeducational Evaluations

“
The Presence team was absolutely awesome to work with—they worked within our budget, delivered the technology right away, and had us up and running within nearly a week.
”

Codi Kadlecek
Director of Elementary Education and Special Services At Mcdade ISD

Challenge

The statewide shortage of therapists, in addition to the district’s geographic location and budgetary constraints, made it difficult for McDade ISD to attract the qualified staff needed to provide psychoeducational assessment to its students. Administering the number of assessments needed to support students and stay compliant was becoming an increasingly difficult task for the district’s small on-site staff.

Solution

McDade ISD partnered with Presence in the summer leading into the 2019-20 school year after being introduced to the company at a state conference. A quick and successful implementation of psychoeducational services led to the district adding occupational therapy (OT) services this same year.

Results

Through its collaborative partnership with Presence, the district is able to stay focused on providing timely evaluations to support students in getting needed services, as well as delivering effective, high-quality OT.