Special Education Advocacy
Why use a special education advocate?
- A special education advocate can help you to better understand your child’s strengths and needs, including reviewing and explaining education records, such as evaluations and assessment reports, Individualized Education Programs (IEPs), Individualized Family Service Plans (IFSPs), and progress reports.
- An advocate can also objectively analyze the quality of your child’s education program to determine if their needs are being met and to suggest additional assessments, services, accommodations, supports, and goals, as appropriate.
- Families often work with a special education advocate to prepare for meetings, such as with the Committee on Preschool Special Education (CPSE), Committee on Special Education (CSE), and Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP), and to understand dispute resolution procedures when a conflict arises between the parents and the school.