For years, districts have debated whether virtual special education services could truly match the quality of in-person supports. After the chaos of 2020 and the patchwork solutions that followed, the field finally has what it lacked: evidence.

Parallel Learning’s newly released 2024–2025 Outcomes Report puts numbers behind the question of whether virtual SDI and related services can produce real educational benefit for students with disabilities. The verdict is clear: they can, and they are.

 Download the full Outcomes White Paper here:
Parallel Learning Outcomes 2024–2025

What the Data Shows

District leaders and parents rightly demand proof—not marketing claims. Progress monitoring varies wildly across states, and too many vendors promise results they never document. That’s what makes these findings different.

1. 98% of Students Reached or Surpassed Their IEP Goals

These aren’t soft metrics. These are IEP goals tied to statutory requirements for measurable progress.

Parallel’s model—structured SDI, experienced clinicians, virtual delivery, and intensive oversight—resulted in 98% of students meeting or exceeding their goals. In a time when districts are facing heightened scrutiny under IDEA and Section 504, this type of data strengthens a district’s ability to demonstrate FAPE.

2. Students Rated Their Providers 8.5+ Out of 10

Student engagement is a prerequisite for learning. Historically, virtual services were criticized for feeling impersonal. The consistent 8.5+ out of 10 provider ratings suggest a different reality: students are connecting, participating, and responding well.

Given national burnout, turnover, and staffing shortages, maintaining high student satisfaction is not easy.

3. Virtual Success Isn’t About Teletherapy—It’s About a Structured System

Parallel’s success is tied directly to its integration of technology with experienced clinical oversight.

Their platform uses:

• AI-supported planning and documentation tools
• Progress monitoring dashboards
• Consistent clinical supervision
• Scheduling and program management built for school settings

This is not “Zoom plus worksheets.” It’s a system designed to support high-quality instruction and measurable growth, particularly in districts serving high-needs populations with chronic staffing shortages.

Why This Matters for Administrators, Attorneys, and Policy Leaders

The special education environment is volatile:

• Complaints and hearings are rising.
• Federal oversight is weakening post-Chevron.
• Courts—not agencies—will increasingly shape interpretations of FAPE.
• Districts are expected to prove student progress with defensible data.

Virtual services that demonstrate documented progress + fidelity + student engagement are no longer optional—they’re part of a district’s strategic and legal toolkit.

Districts that cannot show progress risk complaints, hearings, settlements, and higher compensatory education exposure. Districts that can show progress—consistently—are better positioned to defend their programs and demonstrate compliance.

What to Know

Virtual special education services are no longer a stopgap. They are working, and they’re backed by outcomes, not anecdotes.

For districts facing shortages, high caseloads, and increasing legal pressure, models like Parallel’s offer something rare:
capacity, quality, and documented student growth.

About Parallel Learning

Parallel partners with districts nationwide to provide:

• Specially Designed Instruction (SDI)
• Psychoeducational assessments
• Speech-Language Pathology services
• Behavioral and mental health counseling

Their tech-enabled platform supports seamless integration with district practices, while their clinicians, clinical leaders, and customer success teams ensure consistency and quality.

Learn more here: Parallel Learning

FINALLY

If you work for an organization that has a white paper you would like to share about the effectiveness of services for students with disabilities, please forward it our way. We will gladly read it.