What is a special education advocate?
Special education advocates should have a strong background and understanding of the special education process, special education law and procedure, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other educational and civil rights rules and regulations.
It isn’t always easy to get appropriate educational services for children with disabilities. Schools often refuse to provide necessary supports and services to children that receive special education services. Sometimes schools refuse to provide special education services altogether. When disagreements arise between parents and school districts, special education advocates can be a useful tool to assist parents is getting their children the educational services to which they are legally entitled.
Special education advocates are often non-lawyers, or lawyers that work with the school district outside of the formal litigation process. Special education advocates should have a strong background and understanding of the special education process, special education law and procedure, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and other educational and civil rights rules and regulations. Special education advocates are often former special education teachers or administrators. A good special education advocate has been through all aspects of educational disputes and has seen a variety of unique cases. When interviewing special education advocates, be sure to ask whether they have experience working in schools, how many years they have
When interviewing special education advocates, be sure to ask:
- Whether the advocate has experience working in schools
- How many years the advocate has spent advocating for children
- What types of cases the advocate as handled
Do you need a special education advocate?
If you have found yourself at a crossroads with your school district you may need a special education advocate. Special education advocates are useful not only because they know what a school district is required to give and what a school district is capable of providing, but an advocate can also keep your expectations realistic. As a parent, we all want what’s best for our children, but sadly the law only demands that schools provide “appropriate” services, not the best services. A skilled advocate knows how to narrow the gap between what is best and what is appropriate.
How much does it cost to hire a special education advocate?
Prices vary, but generally, advocates charge either a flat fee or an hourly rate. In some instances, law firms can advocate on your child’s behalf on a contingency and seek the majority of their fees from the school district. At Montgomery Law consultations are always free and we also offer a free IEP review service. If you feel as though you are in over your head against your school district, give us a call. We would love to discuss.