Why Porterville Unified Continues to Expand Its Partnership With Parallel

For many school districts, virtual special education services begin as a short-term solution to an immediate staffing challenge. Once the position is filled or the contract ends, the partnership ends with it.

Porterville Unified School District’s experience with Parallel has been different.

What began in January 2023 as a small partnership with one bilingual speech-language pathologist has grown substantially over the years. Rather than moving away from virtual services, Porterville has continued to renew and expand its partnership with Parallel—entrusting more students and providers each year.

That continued growth reflects more than the need to fill vacancies. It demonstrates what becomes possible when outstanding providers, purpose-built technology, and responsive district support work together.

Searching for a More Reliable Solution

Porterville Unified School District serves approximately 14,000 students across California’s Central Valley. Like districts nationwide, Porterville faced persistent challenges finding qualified, in-person speech-language pathologists and interpreters.

The district had previously turned to virtual services for support, but those experiences created challenges of their own. Services went unfulfilled, reports were inconsistent or unavailable, deadlines were missed, and communication was unreliable.

Porterville needed more than access to a virtual provider. The district needed a partner it could trust to deliver high-quality services consistently, meet its compliance obligations, and work effectively alongside its internal team.

In January 2023, Porterville began working with Parallel on a limited basis. Parallel matched the district with one bilingual speech-language pathologist who initially supported 41 students.

That small beginning quickly proved the value of a different approach.

From an Initial Partnership to Sustained Growth

Within the first few months of the partnership, Porterville significantly expanded its use of Parallel’s services.

Between March and May 2023 alone, the district saw:

• A 103% increase in service hours delivered by Parallel
• A 2.5x increase in the number of Parallel providers serving the district

Based on the success of that initial contract, Porterville renewed its partnership for the 2023–2024 school year with substantially expanded terms, including:

• An 8x increase in assessment and service coverage
• A 3.5x increase in the number of providers
• An expanded contract term, growing from six months to a full school year

The partnership did not stop there. Porterville has continued working with Parallel year after year, expanding the relationship as the district’s needs have evolved.

While many districts initially approach virtual services as a temporary staffing solution, Porterville has continued to double down. Parallel has become an extension of the district’s special education team—not simply a vendor brought in to fill an isolated vacancy.

What Made the Partnership Work?

Porterville’s growth with Parallel has been driven by three central components: exceptional providers, purpose-built technology, and responsive customer success.

A High-Quality Provider Network

Parallel’s providers bring more than their clinical credentials to a district partnership. They take ownership of communication, reporting, documentation, service delivery, and other district priorities.

For Porterville, that meant working with dependable, highly skilled professionals who understood the district’s expectations and were committed to its students. Parallel’s ability to recruit and support a broad network of qualified providers also allowed the partnership to scale without sacrificing service quality.

Pathway: Technology Built for Special Education

Parallel’s proprietary platform, Pathway, gives district teams greater visibility into service delivery and helps providers manage documentation, communication, caseloads, and student progress in one place.

That infrastructure is especially important as a partnership grows. Instead of adding more administrative complexity, Pathway helps create consistency and transparency across providers and services. Porterville’s team can see what is happening, stay informed, and work collaboratively with Parallel to address needs as they arise.

Dedicated, Responsive Support

Technology alone does not build trust. People do.

Porterville works with a dedicated Parallel customer success team and clinical experts who understand the district’s programs, priorities, and expectations. When a question or concern arises, the team responds quickly and works toward a resolution.

As Diane Rankin, Porterville’s Director of Student Services and Special Education, shared:

“Whenever any concerns were raised, the Parallel team responded immediately. This quick and responsive communication ensures that issues are addressed promptly”

That responsiveness helped distinguish Parallel from the district’s previous experiences with virtual services. Porterville was not left to manage providers or solve problems alone; it had a team actively invested in the success of the partnership.

A Virtual Partnership Built to Last

Porterville’s experience demonstrates that virtual special education does not have to be a temporary compromise or a last resort.

With the right providers, technology, and support structure, a virtual partnership can offer districts something much more valuable: a reliable and scalable way to strengthen their special education programs over time.

What began with one bilingual SLP and 41 students has grown into a lasting, year-over-year partnership. Porterville’s continued expansion reflects the trust Parallel has earned through consistent service delivery, strong communication, greater visibility, and a shared commitment to student success.

The most meaningful measure of a partnership is not how it begins. It is whether the district chooses to continue—and grow—it.

Porterville Unified has done exactly that.

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