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IDVA Special Education Program Featured on KTVB’s Idaho Today for Disability Pride Month 

School Announcements
Introducing IDVA's Individual Education Programs

July was Disability Pride Month, and Idaho Virtual Academy (IDVA) recently joined KTVB’s Idaho Today to share what individualized special education can look like for Idaho families. Amanda Judd, IDVA’s Academic Administrator for Special Programs, and Heidi Schlenker, an IDVA parent, sat down with the station to talk about flexible Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), co-teaching classrooms and the relationships that make IDVA’s program work for students with a wide range of needs. 

Support Built Around Each Student 

IDVA carries the same responsibilities as any public school when it comes to special education, serving students with needs ranging from autism and hearing impairments to behavioral disorders and physical disabilities. 

“Students come to us with an IEP, or we work with them to create one if they qualify, and we make sure those services are provided,” Judd said. She explained that IDVA customizes each student’s education based on their needs, from contracting local physical therapists to adjusting support based on feedback from students and families, whom staff meet with regularly based on individual student needs. “We see ourselves as partners with students and families,” she added. 

A Family Finds a Better Fit 

For Heidi Schlenker, that partnership changed her son’s trajectory. Her son struggled for years in a traditional brick-and-mortar school, losing ground in first grade during the COVID-19 pandemic and never fully catching up. By fourth grade, he was getting into trouble on purpose so he could go to the principal’s office to avoid being bullied by classmates. 

Alisah Delamarian, and a friend of Schlenker’s family, introduced the Schlenker family to IDVA when Schlenker’s son was in fifth grade. Within a couple of months of attending, Schlenker said the difference was clear. “He’s done so well that he’s exited his IEP and is excelling in all general classes with his peers,” she said. Her son, who is entering seventh grade this year, went from reading well behind grade level to nearly an eighth-grade level, with math becoming his best subject. “Watching him go from dreading school to thriving in both school and his personal life has been incredible,” Schlenker said. 

An Option Worth Exploring 

For Judd, Disability Pride Month is about options and connection. “A lot of families come to us feeling lost, feeling like their voices aren’t being heard,” she said. “We want them to know we can meet your needs—let us show you how.” IDVA’s goal is to help every student graduate and build a foundation for a successful life beyond school. 

For families looking for alternative options for their students, consider IDVA’s special education program. Watch the full interview.  ( https://www.ktvb.com/article/news/local/idaho-today/idaho-virtual-academy-highlights-individualized-special-education-during-disability-pride-month/277-50b74091-3825-4a4d-bcf4-e3215e0fcb26 ) 

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