Alicia has worked in the public school system for 28 years, working primarily with students with special needs. She has served as Special Education Team Leader and as Special Education Department Chairperson.
In addition, she is a recognized expert in the field of special education and has been a featured speaker on numerous webinars, including one that was hosted by The Houston Chronicle, which focused on how to get a 504 or IEP for your child.
An ARD meeting in Austin is an important step in developing or reviewing a student’s special education services. During the meeting, the committee discusses progress, services, and appropriate IEP goals in Austin to support the student’s academic and functional needs while ensuring the plan provides a Free and Appropriate Public Education (FAPE).
Services
Autism, a neurological condition, is characterized by differences in social communication and interaction, alongside restricted interests and repetitive behaviors.
Intellectual disability is a condition characterized by limitations in cognitive functioning and adaptive behaviors, impacting an individual's everyday life and learning abilities.
Emotional disturbance refers to a condition in which an individual exhibits inappropriate behaviors, emotions, or both, leading to difficulties in social interactions and academic performance.
Children with ODD often exhibit stubbornness, argumentativeness, and a tendency to deliberately provoke others, leading to significant impairment in social, academic, and familial functioning.
Advocates emphasize the importance of understanding ADHD as a unique neurological variation rather than a flaw, promoting acceptance, support, and accommodations for individuals with ADHD to thrive.
OHI is an engaging platform offering insightful content tailored to advocate interests, fostering community and empowerment through knowledge sharing.
A specific learning disability is a neurodevelopmental disorder affecting the brain's ability to receive, process, analyze, or store information. It can manifest in difficulties with reading, writing, math, or other cognitive processes despite average or above-average intelligence
A speech impairment refers to any condition that affects a person's ability to produce sounds correctly or fluently, or to use their vocal cords, tongue, lips, or other speech-related structures effectively.
A few topics Alicia can present include: “How to help de-escalate a child with intense behaviors”, “How to utilize a Safe Place within the classroom”, “Using visuals effectively”, “Documentation and collecting data on IEP goals and behaviors” and “Building rapport with sensitive and students with challenging behaviors”. She can also tailor presentations to address specific needs of the staff
Dyslexia advocacy in Austin helps families ensure students with reading difficulties receive the support and services they need in school. An experienced MRD advocate in Austin can assist parents in understanding dyslexia evaluations, reviewing testing results, and ensuring appropriate interventions are included in the student’s plan. Advocates also help families prepare for meetings, ask the right questions, and ensure schools follow state and federal special education laws. With the right guidance, parents can better navigate the process and secure appropriate accommodations, specialized instruction, and progress monitoring to help their child improve reading, writing, and academic confidence in the classroom.
A Special Needs Advocate in Austin helps families navigate the special education process and ensure their child receives appropriate support at school. An experienced ARD and IEP Advocate in Austin works with parents to review evaluations, understand eligibility, and develop effective IEP goals and accommodations. Advocates attend meetings, help families prepare questions, and ensure the school follows special education laws and procedures. They also assist parents in understanding progress reports, services, and placement decisions so students receive the support they need to succeed academically and socially in the classroom. With the right advocacy, families can feel more confident and supported throughout the special education process.
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Testimonials
Kayla Graves2026-05-22Working with Ms. Gina is the best decision I could have made. She is knowledgeable, efficient, and truly goes to bat for her clients. I felt supported and well-represented throughout the entire process. Thank you, Ms. Gina, for your outstanding service!
Neya Ambalathunkal2026-05-22I cannot say enough great things about the support I received from Gina. Despite having very little notice before our meeting, she came fully prepared — she clearly put in extra time after hours to make sure we were ready. She presented herself with such calm and professionalism, and that made a huge difference for me going into a stressful situation. She advocated strongly for my daughter and helped guide the meeting toward the outcome we were hoping for. I felt supported every step of the way. If you’re a parent navigating the special education process, I highly recommend her services. We are so happy with the experience and grateful for everything she did for our family. Tucker Special Education Advocates are true to their word and have fair pricing as well. We are happy with our experience with them.
Ayana Hutchinson2026-05-21We used Alicia Tucker Special Education Advocates to help us navigate the often confusing special education system, and the experience was outstanding. Prior to working with them, we felt like we were being given the runaround by the school district and were making little to no progress advocating for our child. Working with this advocacy company made a huge difference. They simplified the process and ensured we fully understood our child’s rights every step of the way. Our advocate, Gina, was exceptional! She attended our ARD meeting and brought a level of knowledge and professionalism that truly elevated the conversation. She helped guide the meeting, ensured our concerns were addressed, and advocated effectively for our child’s needs. Most importantly, she helped us achieve the outcomes our child is entitled to. Having someone knowledgeable and confident in our corner made all the difference. We are incredibly grateful for their support and are happy to continue our journey with them as we move forward. We highly recommend their services — 10/10 experience.
A Google User2026-05-21Alicia Tucker is an absolutely incredible advocate. From the very beginning, she made me feel heard, supported, and confident that my child’s needs truly mattered. She is extremely knowledgeable about the school system, special education services, and student rights, and you better believe she will fight tirelessly to make sure your child will receive the support and accommodations they deserve! She goes into every meeting prepared, professional, and determined to advocate for what is best for your child!! I couldn’t recommend her and her team enough!!!! Thank you Alicia!!!! ❤️❤️
Dimitria King2026-05-20I cannot thank Gina Schmidt and the entire Tucker Education Advocates team enough for their support during this process for my son. Candace immediately reached out to schedule a consultation and Alicia personally contacted me to gather additional information to better support my son’s educational needs. The team moved quickly, reviewed records, communicated with the district, and prepared for my son’s ARD meeting right away. Throughout this stressful process, I felt heard, supported, and reassured every step of the way. Gina and her team have been professional, responsive, compassionate, and extremely knowledgeable. Their guidance helped me better understand my rights and advocate confidently for my son’s education and future. I am truly grateful and blessed to have Tucker Education Advocates supporting my family, and I would absolutely recommend them to any parent seeking an advocate for their child.
Wes Machalica2026-04-30I've had a great experience with Tucker Advocacy. I really appreciate the knowledge and professionalism that Ms. Tucker and her team bring to the table and it's encouraging to know that my student is receiving the best representation in her accommodation process. Huge thanks to Ms. Tucker and her team for all the support and for helping us through the ARDs!
Claudia Gonzalez Chavira2026-04-24I don’t know what I would have done without them ! More then a service they offer you a sincere concern for your needs! Gave me peace of mind the most important is there knowledge if the laws that protect our children! I don’t feel alone with the issues regarding my son’s rights!
Jeff Smith2026-04-23Very knowledgeable and very professional. Highly recommended!
kristen Padgett2026-03-03We are so incredibly grateful for Gina with Tucker Advocates. She went above and beyond advocating for our daughter and made us feel supported every step of the way. Gina is knowledgeable, professional, and truly understands special education. She came prepared, explained everything clearly, and made sure our concerns were heard and addressed. Because of her, we felt confident walking into meetings instead of overwhelmed. What stood out most was how much she genuinely cares. She fought for what was appropriate for our child and didn’t back down when things got tough. Having her on our side made all the difference. I highly recommend Gina and Tucker Advocates to any parent who needs strong, compassionate advocacy for their child. We couldn’t have done this without her!
IEP goals in Austin are developed by the ARD committee based on the student’s evaluation results, present levels of academic achievement and functional performance (PLAAFP), and identified areas of need. The team—including parents, teachers, and specialists—works together to create goals that are specific, measurable, and designed to help the student make meaningful progress.
Once implemented, IEP goals in Austin are measured through data collection such as classroom assessments, progress monitoring, observations, and work samples. Schools must track and report progress regularly to ensure the student is making appropriate gains and to determine whether adjustments to instruction, services, or supports are needed.
Yes, an advocate can attend school meetings to support your child’s ADHD needs. A special needs advocate in Austin helps parents understand their child’s rights and ensures the school is addressing academic, behavioral, and executive functioning challenges appropriately.
A special needs advocate in Austin can attend ARD or 504 meetings, review evaluations, help develop appropriate accommodations, and ensure services are clearly written in the plan. Advocates also help parents ask important questions and ensure the school follows special education laws. Having an advocate present can help families feel more confident, organized, and supported while working with the school to ensure the student receives the services and supports needed for success.
Yes, a special needs advocate in Austin can help if your child’s services are delayed or denied by the school. Advocates work with families to review the student’s IEP or 504 plan, identify what services were agreed upon, and determine whether the school is meeting its legal obligations.
A special needs advocate in Austin can attend ARD or 504 meetings, request documentation, and help parents address concerns about missed or delayed services. They also help families communicate effectively with the school and ensure appropriate steps are taken to resolve the issue so the student receives the supports and services necessary for academic progress.
When meeting with an advocate, bringing the right documents can help make the consultation more productive. An ARD and IEP advocate in Austin will typically ask parents to provide copies of the most recent evaluations, IEP or 504 plan, ARD paperwork, progress reports, and report cards. It is also helpful to bring any communication with the school, behavior reports, testing results, and documentation of services provided.
An ARD and IEP advocate in Austin uses these records to review the student’s history, identify concerns, and determine whether services, accommodations, and supports are appropriate for the child’s needs. This information helps the advocate provide informed guidance.
Yes, dyslexia can qualify a student for either an IEP or a 504 Plan, depending on how the learning difficulty affects the student’s educational performance. Through dyslexia advocacy in Austin, families often learn that if dyslexia significantly impacts reading, writing, or academic progress and the student requires specialized instruction, the student may qualify for special education services under an IEP.
If the student does not need specialized instruction but still requires classroom supports, accommodations such as extra time, assistive technology, or reading supports may be provided through a 504 Plan. Dyslexia advocacy in Austin helps families understand evaluations, eligibility, and appropriate interventions.
Steps to connect with Us
We offer a complimentary 30-minute consultation. During this time, we will address your concerns regarding the current situation and explore potential options for the next steps.
If we both agree to move forward at the end of our conversation, We will provide you with a Consent to Authorize Advocacy and Release of Educational Information to sign and send along with a letter to the school notifying them that you have engaged our services.
We will send you a questionnaire to write all of your concerns regarding the current situation, your goals and reasons for seeking our services, as well as your experiences with your child and the district.
Review of Records involves a comprehensive review of all documents, including past and current evaluations, IEPs, and relevant academic and medical records as well as the questionnaire detailing your concerns.
The advocacy plan will be tailored to your student and specific situation and may include the following:
We require a $250 retainer fee and a completed Client Intake Form before work can begin.
We can also attend meetings with you for a flat rate of $600 which includes travel time.
Please note: If you need to file for due process, there will be an additional fee of $300 required before we can submit the paperwork on your behalf.
