Celebrating Excellence in Special Education: Presence's 2025-2026 Partner of the Year Awards
In a significant recognition of commitment to special education, Presence, a leading provider of PreK-12 special education technology and teletherapy services, has unveiled its winners for the 2025-2026 Partner of the Year awards. This annual event celebrates schools across various sectors — public, private, and virtual — that are making remarkable strides in providing essential services to diverse communities, including urban, suburban, and rural areas.
"As the educational landscape evolves, school leaders nationwide are reevaluating how they deliver special education to ensure that staffing shortages do not hinder students from receiving the vital services they need," stated Kate Eberle Walker, CEO of Presence. The winners exemplify innovative service delivery models that prioritize high-quality care for students, integrating teletherapy as a critical component to expand accessibility.
The 2025-2026 Partner of the Year Award recipients were rigorously selected based on a commitment to student outcomes, which reflects their efforts to maintain equitable access to special education services.
1. Cotulla Independent School District (Texas)
Cotulla ISD has transformed its approach by establishing an independent special education department. With the guidance of Presence, they have effectively addressed staffing shortages and launched a successful teletherapy initiative that has provided nearly 9,600 minutes of speech-language pathology within a single academic year.
2. Gateway Unified School District (California)
Gateway Unified has turned its limited access to speech-language clinicians into a robust service model. Their partnership with Presence has led to the management of IEP services and has resulted in 2,100 therapy sessions this academic year alone, effectively eliminating barriers to students' progress.
3. Lebanon Community School District (Oregon)
In response to a shortage of specialists, the Lebanon Community School District has developed a coordinated service model for therapy, offering assistance to over 110 students this year, showcasing how focused partnerships can address local needs effectively.
4. Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 (Pennsylvania)
Serving a broad array of educational settings, Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 has leveraged Presence’s support to deliver tailored services across mental health, speech therapy, and more, significantly enhancing their ability to provide comprehensive support for diverse learner needs.
5. North Country Supervisory Union (Vermont)
Over a decade, their collaboration with Presence has expanded from basic speech services to a multidisciplinary support system across multiple schools, demonstrating the effectiveness of adapted approaches to meet rising student needs, with more than 3,700 sessions provided this year.
6. Polk County Public Schools (Florida)
Serving a rapidly growing student population, Polk County has evolved its services through a partnership with Presence that has ensured support for over 1,200 students this year, reflecting the district's commitment to staying ahead of demand.
7. K12 (National)
As a leader in virtual education, K12 required a consistent service model. The partnership with Presence supports 37 online schools, providing essential therapy and mental health services tailored to the needs of students in a virtual environment.
It’s important to note that around 7.5 million youth in the U.S. require special education services. However, 72% of educational institutions struggling to fill these critical roles. Special education remains one of the most difficult areas for recruitment and retention, which adds stress to existing staff, particularly in underserved regions.
Presence is addressing this challenge by partnering with over 10,000 schools nationwide. They have delivered more than 8 million remote evaluations and teletherapy sessions, leading the way in ensuring special education and mental health needs are met across the nation.
With a team of over 2,000 licensed clinicians, Presence provides a comprehensive range of IEP-related services, which include psychological evaluations, speech-language therapy, and mental health counseling. Their technology empowers educational professionals to reduce administrative burdens, allowing them to focus on supporting students more effectively.
The 2025-2026 Partner of the Year schools exemplify how innovative leadership can reshape the special education landscape, ensuring that all students receive timely and high-quality support regardless of their educational setting. Presence continues to lead by example, demonstrating that when schools embrace a forward-thinking approach, the possibilities for student achievement are boundless.
A New Era for Special Education
"As the educational landscape evolves, school leaders nationwide are reevaluating how they deliver special education to ensure that staffing shortages do not hinder students from receiving the vital services they need," stated Kate Eberle Walker, CEO of Presence. The winners exemplify innovative service delivery models that prioritize high-quality care for students, integrating teletherapy as a critical component to expand accessibility.
The 2025-2026 Partner of the Year Award recipients were rigorously selected based on a commitment to student outcomes, which reflects their efforts to maintain equitable access to special education services.
Honored Schools Making a Difference
1. Cotulla Independent School District (Texas)
Cotulla ISD has transformed its approach by establishing an independent special education department. With the guidance of Presence, they have effectively addressed staffing shortages and launched a successful teletherapy initiative that has provided nearly 9,600 minutes of speech-language pathology within a single academic year.
2. Gateway Unified School District (California)
Gateway Unified has turned its limited access to speech-language clinicians into a robust service model. Their partnership with Presence has led to the management of IEP services and has resulted in 2,100 therapy sessions this academic year alone, effectively eliminating barriers to students' progress.
3. Lebanon Community School District (Oregon)
In response to a shortage of specialists, the Lebanon Community School District has developed a coordinated service model for therapy, offering assistance to over 110 students this year, showcasing how focused partnerships can address local needs effectively.
4. Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 (Pennsylvania)
Serving a broad array of educational settings, Lincoln Intermediate Unit 12 has leveraged Presence’s support to deliver tailored services across mental health, speech therapy, and more, significantly enhancing their ability to provide comprehensive support for diverse learner needs.
5. North Country Supervisory Union (Vermont)
Over a decade, their collaboration with Presence has expanded from basic speech services to a multidisciplinary support system across multiple schools, demonstrating the effectiveness of adapted approaches to meet rising student needs, with more than 3,700 sessions provided this year.
6. Polk County Public Schools (Florida)
Serving a rapidly growing student population, Polk County has evolved its services through a partnership with Presence that has ensured support for over 1,200 students this year, reflecting the district's commitment to staying ahead of demand.
7. K12 (National)
As a leader in virtual education, K12 required a consistent service model. The partnership with Presence supports 37 online schools, providing essential therapy and mental health services tailored to the needs of students in a virtual environment.
The Larger Context for Special Education
It’s important to note that around 7.5 million youth in the U.S. require special education services. However, 72% of educational institutions struggling to fill these critical roles. Special education remains one of the most difficult areas for recruitment and retention, which adds stress to existing staff, particularly in underserved regions.
Presence is addressing this challenge by partnering with over 10,000 schools nationwide. They have delivered more than 8 million remote evaluations and teletherapy sessions, leading the way in ensuring special education and mental health needs are met across the nation.
Innovative Solutions for Today's Needs
With a team of over 2,000 licensed clinicians, Presence provides a comprehensive range of IEP-related services, which include psychological evaluations, speech-language therapy, and mental health counseling. Their technology empowers educational professionals to reduce administrative burdens, allowing them to focus on supporting students more effectively.
The 2025-2026 Partner of the Year schools exemplify how innovative leadership can reshape the special education landscape, ensuring that all students receive timely and high-quality support regardless of their educational setting. Presence continues to lead by example, demonstrating that when schools embrace a forward-thinking approach, the possibilities for student achievement are boundless.
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