Centralizing Special Education Staffing and Formalizing a Paraprofessional Program for a Large Minnesota District
The Rundown
A centralized MSP approach enabled the district to gain control of its special education staffing supply chain while launching a structured paraprofessional program to support long-term workforce stability.
Our Partner
Our client is one of the largest Minnesota school districts serving more than 30,000 students and families through 35+ schools.
The Challenge
Our partner was spending significant time managing multiple staffing agencies to support their district’s special education staffing needs. From coordinating communication across various agencies to tracking multiple timesheets and invoices, the complexity of this approach made it difficult to maintain efficiency, consistency, and clear oversight of their contract staffing usage.
Our Solution
BlazerWorks partnered with the district beginning in 2018 to implement a streamlined managed service provider (MSP) program, validating and consolidating all staffing agencies under a single point of contact.
Through this approach:
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BlazerWorks coordinates directly with school principals reducing the administrative burden on Special Education Directors and district leadership.
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The district gains clear visibility and consistency across its contract staffing agencies while maintaining flexibility.
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All reporting, credentialing, timesheets, and invoices are managed in one easy-to-use vendor management system (VMS), eliminating the need to track and reconcile multiple and varied systems.
BlazerWorks worked with our client and our staffing network partners to align the right staffing agencies – ensuring fulfillment across a wide range of special education roles.
Key Metrics
- 170+ placements managed including – special education teachers, paraprofessionals, BCBAs, COTAs, SLPs, SLPAs, virtual IEP writers and captionists.
- Implemented a paraprofessional program to reduce turnover and increase retention.
- Supported their Para to Teacher Program hiring initiatives.
- Simplified contract staffing process for principals and directors while aligning with the district’s complex structure.
