Sprint and Special Education

At Success Academy, we begin with the core belief that disability does not mean inability. We are committed to helping every one of our scholars, including those with special needs, tackle challenging academic work and meet sky-high expectations. For all students, Success Academy implements techniques once only associated with special education, from manipulatives to differentiated small group instruction.

Our approach to Special Education is called “Sprint” because it relies on controlled bursts of teaching effort and energy. Scholars attain one short-term goal after another, and these add up to great learning outcomes long-term. We believe that all students learn best by doing; that frequent assessments and study of scholars’ work move all students forward. We believe that the best way to support children with special needs is not to offer a separate education, but to help them close in on the academic benchmarks we set for all children, so we purposefully expand on our general model for children with learning challenges.

If your scholar is struggling despite our robust educational supports, your school’s leadership will meet with you to discuss additional services, including support for specialized evaluations, academic services, or other accommodations. Success Academy guides families through the referral and evaluation process and coordinates with the Department of Education’s Committee on Special Education to secure Special Education services for scholars, and your school Sprint team ensures that services are provided quickly.

If your incoming scholar has an Individualized Education Program or 504 Plan, please notify the school and upload documentation to your SA Families Site account. Please also refer to the information provided by the NYS Education Department’s Rights for Parents of Children with Disabilities and the 504 Procedural Safeguards. If you have questions about your child’s services, the Committee on Special Education, or our Sprint program in general, please contact your principal, Sprint Specialist, or Sprint Associate.