SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCACY

WHAT IS THE ROLE OF A SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCATE?

The role of a Special Education Advocate is to help parents get the best education possible for their child. Advocates can help parents with IEP and 504 meetings, school disputes, goal setting, and more. Advocates are not licensed attorneys, but can play a crucial role in your child’s special education. Advocates help parents understand their rights and advocate for the appropriate services to help the child be successful.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF HAVING AN ADVOCATE?

  • Advise parents about services, programs, and accommodations that meet their children’s individual needs.
  • Help parents understand the reports and evaluations conducted by the school.
  • Draft requests, responses, and complaints to the school.
  • Help parents prepare for IEP and 504 meetings.
  • Check special education documents (from the school) for accuracy and completion both before and after IEP and 504 meetings.
  • Accompanying parents to IEP and 504 meetings to offer support and advice.

SHOULD YOU HIRE AN ADVOCATE?

Consider hiring an Advocate if you are a parent and feel you lack knowledge of the Special Education system, laws, and best practices. If, as a parent, the school is using terms and abbreviations that are confusing and are causing a lack of understanding of what you feel is best for your child, an Advocate can help. Additionally, an Advocate also can help parents monitor their child’s progress and when parents believe their children may not be making progress or regressing, an Advocate can guide parents through the steps to address the situation.