Embrace helps schools bring special education, Section 504 and Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) processes together in one connected solution. With easier access to student information, built-in compliance checks and tools that support communication with families, Embrace helps educators simplify everyday tasks and spend more time supporting students.
Results at a glance
- Easier student progress tracking, allowing teachers to move between student records and update progress more efficiently.
- More accessible family communication, with translation tools supporting both standard forms and information entered by staff.
- Simpler documentation, including electronic signatures that make it easier to collect and maintain essential records.
- Stronger compliance support, with built-in checks and reminders helping staff manage required documentation and meeting deadlines.
- Connected student information, bringing special education, 504 and MTSS processes together in one system.
- Less time spent navigating software, with simpler reporting, easier access to information and more straightforward staff training.
Sherman ISD serves 7,809 students in Grayson County, Texas, including 1,796 students receiving special education services, 2,285 English language learners and 828 students supported under Section 504.
EmbraceThe challenge
Every student deserves support that reflects their individual needs. And families need clear, accessible information to take part in decisions about that support. For Sherman, its existing software made both responsibilities more difficult than they needed to be.
Staff spent considerable time navigating between student records, updating progress and managing documentation.
Moving between students often meant leaving one file and reopening another, adding unnecessary steps to everyday tasks.
Reducing the time spent on progress tracking
Tracking student progress is an important part of understanding how learners are responding to support.
But Sherman's previous system made the process time-consuming for classroom teachers and case managers.
Staff needed a more straightforward way to move between records, enter updates and review student information.
Making communication more accessible for families
With 2,285 English language learners in the district, communicating information clearly to families was an important consideration.
Sherman's previous software could translate predetermined form content but not the additional information entered by staff.
This limited the district's ability to share complete information in families' preferred languages. The lack of electronic signatures also created challenges.
Parents often took documents home after meetings, but signed forms weren't always returned. This made it harder for staff to maintain complete records and demonstrate compliance.
Supporting consistent documentation and reporting
District-level reporting was another challenge.
With hundreds of custom reports created in the previous system, finding the right information could be confusing and time-consuming.
Sherman needed clearer reporting, more reliable documentation and a system that would help staff meet compliance requirements without adding to their workload.
The solution
Sherman introduced EmbraceSE®, Embrace504® and EmbraceMTSS® to create a more connected approach to special education processes.
With student information available in one system, educators could access records, update progress and manage documentation without moving between multiple programs.
Making progress tracking simpler
One of the biggest improvements for Sherman was how easily classroom teachers could move between student records.
Rather than repeatedly leaving and reopening files, staff could navigate between students and update progress more efficiently. This made an important everyday task more manageable and reduced the time staff spent navigating software.
"One of the biggest improvements with moving into Embrace® software was the ability for classroom teachers to switch between students at a rapid rate when they're doing their progress updates."
Helping families access information in their preferred language
Embrace also helped Sherman improve communication with multilingual families.
Unlike the district's previous system, Embrace could translate both standard form content and information entered by staff.
This gave educators a more accessible way to share important information about student support. Embrace also helped Sherman improve communication with multilingual families.
Unlike the district's previous system, Embrace could translate both standard form content and information entered by staff.
This gave educators a more accessible way to share important information about student support.
"The entire thing was huge because we wanted our families to be able to understand what we're sending home." - Andrea Kennedy
For Sherman, this was an important step toward helping families better understand the information they received and participate in conversations about their children's education.
Simplifying documentation and compliance processes
Embrace introduced electronic signatures, making it easier for Sherman to collect and maintain documentation following meetings.
Built-in compliance checks and reminders also helped staff identify incomplete forms and keep track of important deadlines, including Admission, Review and Dismissal (ARD) meetings.
With clearer reporting tools, administrators could find and manage district-level information more easily.
These changes helped reduce the complexity of maintaining accurate records and supported greater confidence in compliance processes.
Making everyday technology easier to use
Ease of use was another important part of Sherman's experience.
Embrace provided a more straightforward way for staff to navigate student information, review documents and complete everyday tasks.
Online training resources also helped educators become familiar with the system.
The district also valued being able to resolve staff questions more easily, with administrators able to view user accounts and identify issues without relying on lengthy explanations.
"This year, I just sent out information, and no one asked questions. So that in itself was huge"
The impact
For Sherman, bringing special education information together made a practical difference to how educators and administrators worked.
Staff gained easier access to student records, simpler ways to update progress and more consistent tools for managing documentation.
Just as importantly, families benefited from more accessible communication.
More time for educators to focus on students
Simpler navigation and connected information helped reduce the administrative steps involved in tracking progress and managing records.
Teachers could move between students more easily, while case managers had access to tools that made everyday processes more efficient.
For staff managing multiple responsibilities, these changes helped make their workload more manageable.
More accessible communication with families
Translation tools helped Sherman share more complete information with families in languages other than English.
By translating both form content and staff-entered information, the district could make important documentation easier for families to understand.
This supported clearer communication and helped families engage more confidently with information about their children's education.
Greater confidence in compliance
Electronic signatures, built-in checks and due date reminders helped Sherman strengthen its approach to maintaining required documentation.
Administrators also benefited from simpler reporting and easier access to district-level information.
Together, these improvements helped staff manage compliance responsibilities more consistently.
More confident staff and simpler training
With straightforward navigation and online training resources, educators could become familiar with Embrace without relying on extensive ongoing support.
Andrea also reported fewer calls and technical support requests across the district.
For Sherman, this meant less time spent resolving software issues and a more manageable experience for staff.
Making student support more accessible for everyone
Sherman's experience shows how connected technology can make student support more accessible for educators and families. By simplifying progress tracking, improving documentation and making communication easier in multiple languages, Embrace helped reduce administrative barriers, strengthen compliance confidence and give educators more time to focus on students. With clearer information and more connected processes, schools and families are better equipped to work together and support every learner.
Help your educators simplify progress tracking, strengthen compliance processes and communicate more clearly with families using Embrace's connected special education solutions.
