When I tell people I work in special education compliance, I usually get one of three responses: a polite-but-lost nod, a look of horror, or a look of sympathy.

I get it.

For many educators – for most people – the word “compliance” brings to mind binders of paperwork, ticking off boxes, and high-stakes audits that fuel long, sleepless nights.

But, to me, compliance is about relationships and doing what’s right. It’s the guardrails on a long, winding road.

At the heart of every psychoeducational report, IEP, timeline, and procedural safeguard is a student: a real student, with real strengths, challenges, hopes, and fears. Supporting them well means making sure our systems are sound, our processes are clear, and our teams are confident and equipped.

Compliant? Absolutely. Capable? Absolutely.

That’s why I started Oakring Education.

I love working with teams – learning from boots-on-the-ground, deep-in-the-trenches educational experts, but also sharing my expertise as a licensed school psychologist and licensed school counselor. When we work together, we build dreams.

Oakring works alongside public school districts to strengthen special education systems from the inside out. Through training, process audits, data reviews, report reviews, and workshops, we help teams understand not just what to do, but why it matters—and how to do it with integrity, fidelity, clarity, and care. We believe that when educators are supported, students are supported. It’s that simple.

This blog will be a space for sharing ideas, tools, and reflections that live at the intersection of compliance and care. I’ll write about what we’re seeing in the field, spotlight smart solutions from the districts we partner with, and offer practical tips for making special education more sustainable and student-centered.

If you’re a special education director, teacher, or school leader trying to make your system work better—for kids and for the adults supporting them—I hope this space becomes a refuge.

We’re all here because we care. Let’s build compliant systems that reflect that.

With thanks,

Emily L., MSEd, PsyS
Founder and Lead Consultant
Oakring Education