Special education teams are under more pressure than ever—rising compliance expectations, complex reporting, staffing shortages, and real burnout. Yet the tools meant to support IEP work often haven’t kept pace. Often, districts are working within IEP systems that are outdated and hard to navigate.
We sat down with Sarah Anderson and Leigh McLaughlin, two of the people who helped build Medley from the ground up. Medley is Relay’s provider-founded IEP software designed to simplify compliance, streamline workflows, and support how special education teams actually work. Sarah and Leigh spent years inside districts supporting special education teams, navigating state compliance, and living the day-to-day realities of IEP work. What emerged wasn’t a feature checklist. It was a set of principles that define what modern IEP software must actually do.
1. Compliance Shouldn’t Be a Fire Drill
For many districts, compliance concerns are what trigger the search for a new IEP system—often after the state has already flagged a problem.
“We hear it all the time: We had compliance issues. Our state reporting didn’t line up. We didn’t have visibility into what was happening.” — Sarah Anderson
A modern IEP system should make compliance visible and proactive with clear timeline tracking, built-in guardrails, and consistent workflows. Compliance shouldn’t rely on memory or last-minute checks. It should be embedded into daily work.
2. Visibility Creates Consistency
The most common district struggle isn’t lack of effort: it’s lack of alignment.
“I’ll see files everywhere—binders, Google Docs, Word documents, folders on someone’s desktop. Directors just want one place where everything lives.” — Leigh McLaughlin
When teams work across scattered systems, administrators lose visibility into how IEPs are written, reviewed, and finalized. That makes it nearly impossible to ensure consistency, spot training gaps, or troubleshoot reporting issues. One shared system is important because it means one source of truth.
3. Time Saved on Paperwork Is Time Returned to Students
IEP paperwork is important. It’s also relentless.
“By the end of a demo, I’ll say: I just gave you back seven hours of your life. And they believe it—because they feel it.” — Sarah Anderson
The best IEP systems automate deadline tracking, eliminate duplicate data entry, and cut manual follow-ups. Those hours add up fast—and when districts calculate the true time savings, the software often pays for itself. More importantly, that time goes back where it belongs: with students.
4. Flexibility Matters — Every District Is Different
State forms may be standardized. District processes are not.
“We don’t come in and dictate a new process. We listen first. Then we help districts embed the system into how they actually work.” — Leigh McLaughlin
Effective IEP software should support local workflows (not make it more complicated), control access by role, and adapt as teams evolve. The goal isn’t to replace district expertise—it’s to support it.
5. Support Is Part of the Product
When districts switch systems, support often becomes the deciding factor.
“State forms change. Guidance changes. If your vendor can’t keep up—or won’t respond—you’re exposed.” — Sarah Anderson
IEP software has to evolve alongside state requirements and district needs. That means partners who understand state-specific regulations, update forms quickly, and actually respond when something comes up. Support isn’t an add-on. It’s core to staying compliant.
Raising the Bar
Districts shouldn’t have to choose between compliance, efficiency, and usability. Modern IEP systems should make compliance automatic, give administrators real visibility, save meaningful time for educators, and be backed by people who understand the work.
Learn more about our new IEP solution and how it is helping IEP teams ease this process and increase compliance.