Our Services

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Advocating for parents and students

A non-attorney special education advocate is like a guide or a helper who works with families to make sure a student with disabilities gets the support they need at school. Here’s what I do:

  • Learn the rules: Study the laws to know exactly what rights a student has.

  • Help at meetings: Accompany parents in-person or virtually at Section 504 and/or IEP (Individualized Education Program) meetings. Help parents speak up and make sure the school’s plan for the student is actually working.

  • Explain things: If a school uses complicated words or hard-to-understand rules, the advocate helps the family understand what is happening.

  • Act as a bridge: Help build a better relationship between the family and the school. They want to make sure everyone is working together as a team to help the student succeed.

  • Stay focused on the student: Their main goal is to make sure the student gets the specific help they need to learn, grow, and feel comfortable in the classroom.

In short, advocates are a professional teammate for parents who want to make sure their child is getting a fair and helpful education.

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Education

Special education is a complex world of laws, policies, timelines, procedures, and acronyms. Your advocate will help you understand the process of requesting an evaluation, review the evaluation results, recommend steps to secure a Section 504 or IEP for your student (if applicable), ensure all mandatory components of the IEP are in place, and assist with ongoing progress monitoring.

Below are some of the special education laws that districts must follow:

Federal Laws

  1. Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA): This law ensures that children with disabilities have the right to a free appropriate public education (FAPE) tailored to their individual needs.

  2. Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act: This civil rights law prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in programs receiving federal financial assistance.

  3. Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA): This law extends protections against discrimination to individuals with disabilities in all areas of public life, including schools.

State Laws

  1. Texas Education Code: It sets the major requirements for schools, such as the subjects schools must teach (like math, science, and history) and mandates about school funding.

  2. Texas Administrative Code (TAC) – The "How-To Guide" that explains how to follow those big laws. It contains the specific rules created by state agencies, like the Texas Education Agency (TEA). It gives the specific details for how schools should run day-to-day. For example, while the TEC might say "schools must teach math," the TAC includes the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS).

District/Local Policy

  1. Each school district has its own set of guidelines. Most of these can be found on your district’s website: District Policies, Student Handbook/Code of Conduct, Grievance Policy, etc.

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Testing

Child Find is our priority area of special education law. The sooner students are identified as students eligible for special education, the sooner intervention, supports, and services can begin.

When a parent has concerns about their child, there are specific steps needed to ensure that your child is tested in a timely manner and in all areas of suspected disability. An advocate can help ensure you avoid unnecessary delays and next steps if the district denies your request.

To save time, your advocate can complete screeners and assessments to determine whether your child may qualify. A written report will be given to the parents. The advocate can assist you in your written request to support the need for additional testing.

Texas has specific timelines for requesting special education evaluations. The process is governed by the "15-45-30" rule, which outlines the following key deadlines:

  • 15 School Days: The school district must respond to a parent's written request for an evaluation within 15 school days.

  • 45 School Days: Once parental consent is obtained, the district has 45 school days to complete the evaluation.

  • 30 Calendar Days: After the evaluation is completed, the district must hold an Admission, Review, and Dismissal (ARD) meeting within 30 calendar days to discuss the results and determine eligibility for special education services

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