What's new
What changed in PULSE
Every change districts can see, newest first. For the thinking behind them, read From the Field.
November 2026
· Everyone
Public data pages are easier to read
Large figures on the Observatory and state pages now wrap instead of overlapping, and each page's list of sources starts closed.
· Everyone
The Observatory adds regional agencies and state totals
The Observatory now shows regional service agencies, a Michigan ISD view of its member districts, and each state's count of students with IEPs.
October 2026
· Everyone
The Observatory adds federal staffing figures
State and district pages now show federal special education staffing figures, and the two measures of separate settings are labeled clearly.
· District administrators
English Learner Teacher is its own staff role
Districts can add and import English Learner Teachers as a role of their own.
· District administrators
Compare today's staffing with the PULSE plan
The plan comparison page shows teachers by school, lets you try your own numbers, prints a report, and lists what is still unconfirmed.
· District and building administrators
Confirm caseloads in one place
Caseloads are confirmed on one screen for the live plan, and Today no longer counts saved copies of a plan as open decisions.
· District and building administrators
Accept drafted caseload assignments together
On the Caseloads step, the assignments PULSE has drafted can be reviewed and accepted in one step.
· District and building administrators
Clearer staff details
A staff member's details list their services in plain language, flag a week that is over contract, and show group size more simply.
· District administrators
The Readiness Review shows progress and a student action list
A district's review now shows what changed since the last reading and lists the student records to act on.
· District administrators
One getting-started page
New districts start from one getting-started page, which walks through each step of setup.
· District administrators
One place to upload district files
Upload Files is the single starting point for every file a district sends.
· Everyone
Conversations stay private to their members
Administrators are no longer added to conversations they are not in. Joining is a visible step that tells every member.
· Everyone
A public savings calculator
A public page estimates what PULSE could save a district, from figures the district enters.
· Related service providers
One calendar for every provider
Every provider works from one calendar, and connected calendar accounts are managed in account settings.
· Everyone
Email alerts for mentions and direct messages
People get an email when someone mentions them or sends them a direct message, and they can turn it off.
· Everyone
Two new reports in the Observatory
The Observatory published The Measurement Gap and From Caseload to Workload, each with its sources.
· Everyone
Password rules shown up front
Every password field states the 12-character minimum and explains a refusal beside the field.
· Everyone
Observatory state pages and district profiles
The Observatory added state pages, district profiles, search and maps.
· Related service providers
Week, day and month views on the provider calendar
Providers see their sessions in week, day and month views, and handle change requests from the calendar.
· Everyone
Five new guides
Five new public guides, including a one-page guide to funding PULSE.
September 2026
· Everyone
One set of workload colors everywhere
Workload figures use the same four color bands on every district and network page, each paired with words.
· District and building administrators
Reassign services when someone leaves
Administrators can choose a new provider for a departed staff member's services, and see and resend expired invitations.
· Everyone
Two-step sign-in
Anyone can turn on an authenticator app in account settings. It is optional.