Describe the biggest commitment you ever made.

The Individuals with Disabilities Act mandates that school districts must provide a “free and appropriate public education” that meets a child’s unique needs. However, I didn’t pledge a mere “appropriate” education when I met students’ families each year at Back to School Night. As a special educator, I made a commitment to provide services that allowed my students to reach their fullest potential. In a society that often underestimates students with disabilities, I was determined to keep my promise.

The first step to providing those services was securing a high-quality assessment of the cognitive processes underlying each student’s performance. The more specific an evaluation, the more evidence there is to justify better-aligned services. However, the quality and thoroughness of assessments differs widely based on what families can afford. Free public testing often consists of a three-page report, while outside evaluations can surpass thirty pages and use much more sophisticated assessment measures. Due to the cost of these evaluations and the socioeconomic status of many of my students’ families, only a handful of students had ever received them.

To work against these unfair disadvantages and ensure that each student received services that surpassed “appropriate,” I developed a system to pursue outside evaluations when necessary. I researched and spoke to mentors, then contacted clinics, hospitals, and nonprofits to compile a comprehensive list of free and low-cost providers. If parents opted for outside testing, I connected families to providers, worked to arrange transportation when needed, and called daily to check on wait-lists. After five months, I’d connected eighteen families with high-quality evaluations.

In the majority of cases, those high-quality evaluations served as a sufficient basis for negotiating ideal interventions and services on a child’s Individualized Education Program. However, occasionally the services granted did not align with what students ideally needed. When this occurred, I continued to push to fulfill my commitment to obtain optimal services for each student.

For one child, our school’s administrative team and the child’s parents did not feel that the educational options granted by the city would allow him to reach his fullest potential.

During my research, I’d learned about a nonprofit that provided free legal advocacy services to families. I contacted the nonprofit, and because of the high-quality evaluation, there was enough information for the legal advocate to make a case that the student required more than the city could currently offer. Over three months, I worked in tandem with the advocate and the child’s parents to compile evidence needed for hearings. After many hearings, this student was granted a spot in a highly specialized school for free, and was one of two XYZ charter school students ever to receive these services.

This commitment reflects my conviction that it is my duty — whether as a leader, manager, teacher, or friend — to support others in accessing the resources they need to be successful. In this case, I fulfilled my commitment to securing top-quality services by working with others beyond my role, organization, and sector to reach a desired outcome.