Educational Advocate

As an educational advocate, I represent atypical children with special needs, including students who have Asperger’s / Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) / AD / HD  / learning disabilities (LD) / highly gifted / twice-exceptional (“2e“), to obtain special education services from their local school district.  I approach my work from the experienced perspective of a parent of two highly gifted children, one of whom was diagnosed as having Asperger’s, & from almost two decades of educational activism, which culminated in writing my dissertation on gender equity & gifted elementary education, & earning my EdD in Educational Leadership, K-12 Leadership in Urban School Settings, from the University of Southern California in 2008.

At the Individualized Education Program / Plan (IEP) / 504 table, I bring a wealth of pragmatic multidisciplinary insights into the special education process, as well as the advocacy tools necessary to obtain a Free Appropriate Public Education (FAPE) in the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE), under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) & Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, for your child.

As an educational advocate, I am able to provide you with the following:

• Analysis of standardized tests to assess health, development, general ability, academic performance, language function, motor abilities, social-emotional status, transition planning, career & vocational abilities / interests, etc.
• Determination of additional assessments / evaluations necessary for your child’s educational success, including developmental pediatrics & psychological educational evaluations (“psycho – ed evals”).
• Remedial & compensatory strategies to help create appropriate goals & objectives for supports & accommodations in the classroom.
• Representation at Individualized Educational Program / Plan (IEP) / 504 /, etc., meetings, in order to obtain additional educational resources for your child, including non-public & residential school placement.
• Evaluations of educational options, including community schools / magnet programs / charters / privates / independents / residential, etc., using various data sources.
• Planning for the transition to adulthood, including academic & career technical education (CTE) / vocational educational (Voc Ed) training.

Member, Independent Educational Consultants Association (IECA)