The Municipal Department of Education (SME) faces the challenge of tracking the progress of 27,000 students with special needs, including disabilities, developmental disorders, and giftedness. Previously, this tracking was done through extensive printed reports, which limited the effectiveness of evaluating student progress. Relying on paper not only hinders a comprehensive view of a child's development but also disrupts continuous monitoring when students change schools or advance to the next grade, creating significant gaps. In 2024, for example, 1,248 children changed schools, highlighting the urgent need for a more efficient solution.

With earlier diagnoses, more children are being identified as needing special support, making academic management even more complex. A  study from the ABCD Institute shows that diagnoses once made in adulthood now occur around age 8, precisely the age group served by the SME.

To meet this growing demand, IplanRio has developed a new module within the Academic Management System. This system allows for bimonthly recording of student progress and facilitates the creation of personalized development plans. Records will always be accessible, regardless of the school or grade, and the Helena Antipoff Institute, responsible for educational policies for special needs students, will have a complete and integrated view of all students requiring support, allowing for the continuous refinement of educational policies.

Beyond the academic perspective, digitizing records will bring significant savings, eliminating the use of 392,000 sheets of paper per year and resulting in annual savings of approximately 309,000 reais for the SME.

The implementation of the new system is being carried out in three stages. The first phase began on October 24, covering 126 schools, and the subsequent phases will be completed in the coming weeks, with a scheduled finish date of December 6.

‍