Specialized Service Providers (SSPs) at DPS are vital members of the education team and have the knowledge and skills necessary to ensure that diverse student populations have equitable access to academic instruction and participation in school-related activities. SSPs also play a key role in the support of the whole child, which is defined as students who feel healthy, supported, engaged, challenged, safe, and socially and emotionally intelligent.

The SSP growth and performance system (SSP GPS) was created to ensure there are great licensed professionals in our schools to support our students and our educators in improving student growth. The SSP GPS provides a framework for our SSPs to identify areas of strength and growth through regular, meaningful feedback sessions with evaluators. The goal of the system is to support SSPs in their professional development towards meeting students' needs.

Team Leads and Central Supervisors

SSP Team Leads are expert practitioners who lead a team of SSPs in his or her discipline to develop their ability to effectively deliver services and support the whole child. SSP Team Leads oversees the full growth and performance system process for each SSP on his/her team. SSP Team Leads are responsible for coaching, supporting, observing and evaluating SSPs throughout the school year. For 2023-24 we have 38 Team Leads across our SSP teams (Deaf & Hard of Hearing Itinerants and Audiologists, Educational Sign Language Interpreters, Occupational Therapists and Physical Therapists, School Nurses, School Psychologists and School Social Workers, Speech & Language Pathologists and Teachers of the Visually Impaired and Orientation & Mobility Specialists) and department managers who also serve in the Team Lead role. Team Leads are all coached and evaluated by the department manager.