Empowering Parents Through Special Education Advocacy
You don’t know what you don’t know – until now. Get the knowledge and courage you need for your next IEP meeting.
Empowering Parents Through Special Education Advocacy
You don’t know what you don’t know – until now. Get the knowledge and courage you need for your next IEP meeting.
Your Voice Matters in Your Child's Education
Are you feeling:
- Like your concerns aren’t being heard?
- Overwhelmed by your child’s educational needs?
- Unsure about where to start or what steps to take?
You’re not alone, and your voice is important!
As a parent, you know your child best. You are the expert! Your insights, concerns, and goals for your child are crucial to their educational success. Many parents face challenges in navigating the complexities of the educational system, especially when it comes to special education.
Did You Know?
%
Parents feel intimidated or hesitant to voice their opinions at IEP Meetings
%
School professionals tend to dominate discussion during IEP meetings
%
Although parents express a range of concerns and priorities, these are translated into goals or services only two-thirds of the time
%
% of parents felt their IEP meetings lacked collaboration from the team, that their input was disregarded, the focus was on the weaknesses vs. the strengths of the student, the team pre-determined their students' IEP before discussing with them
This all led to hiring a lawyer or advocate to secure services.
WHAT'S MISSING? PARENTAL VOICE
That’s where I come in. As a dedicated Special Education Advocate, I’m here to:
- Amplify your voice in school meetings and educational decisions
- Help you understand your rights and options
- Empower you to communicate your child’s needs effectively
- Guide you through each step of the process
Kids 1st Advocacy on Instagram
TEACHMETUESDAY - Relational bullying, also known as social or indirect bullying, involves using relationships and social connections to harm someone. Unlike physical bullying, it targets a person`s social standing, friendships, and sense of belonging within a group.
Key characteristics include:
➡️ Exclusion tactics - Deliberately leaving someone out of activities, conversations, or social groups; giving the silent treatment; or organizing others to ignore the target.
➡️ Reputation damage - Spreading rumors, gossip, or lies about someone; sharing embarrassing information or secrets; or manipulating others` perceptions of the target.
➡️ Social manipulation - Turning friends against each other; using friendship as a weapon (threatening to end friendships); or creating divisions within peer groups.
➡️ Cyberbullying elements - Online exclusion from group chats or social media; public humiliation on digital platforms; or coordinated harassment campaigns.
This form of bullying is particularly common among girls and peaks during middle school years, though it occurs across all genders and age groups. It can be especially damaging because it attacks fundamental human needs for connection and belonging. The effects often include depression, anxiety, loneliness, and decreased academic performance.
Relational bullying is harder to detect than physical aggression because it`s often subtle and can be dismissed as "normal" social dynamics. However, research shows its psychological impact can be just as severe as other forms of bullying, sometimes with longer-lasting effects on mental health and social development.
Check out the Bullying Recovery Resource Center for more details. (https://lnkd.in/gGKRQ_ci) #BRRC
FEATUREFRIDAY - As summer heats up, Water World`s Inclusive Attraction Access Pass program ensures guests with disabilities can fully enjoy the park`s cooling attractions!
The Attraction Access Pass (AAP) is Water World`s accommodation program for guests with disabilities that specifically impact their ability to transport tubes/rafts/sleds or use standard queuing systems.
Key Requirements:
➡️ Must have a physical or cognitive impairment (including autism spectrum disorder) that limits tube transport or standard queue use
➡️ All guests still need physical/cognitive ability to maintain proper riding position throughout rides
➡️ If disability doesn`t affect tube transport or queuing, standard processes apply
How to Get It:
➡️ Visit Main Guest Services with ID to request 30-day AAP Service Card
➡️ Alternative: Use IBCCES Individual Accessibility Card (register at accessibilitycard.org at least one week prior)
➡️ One AAP per guest per 30-day period
➡️ No disability discount offered
How It Works:
➡️ AAP card must be presented at attractions with the pictured guest present
➡️ Requires a valid timed boarding pass (scanned at entry) - no boarding pass means no ride, regardless of AAP
➡️ Valid for the cardholder plus up to 3 companions
➡️ Can hold a maximum of 2 active boarding passes simultaneously (different time periods)
➡️ Request boarding passes at Guest Service locations: Front Entry, Cowabunga, Bayview, or Alpine Springs
Important Reality Check: The program specifically states that wait times may still occur as equipment is moved to attraction entry points, and queuing areas have varying shade coverage. This isn`t a heat-avoidance or line-skipping service - it`s an accessibility accommodation for those with legitimate disabilities that prevent standard queue use.
Inclusion Perspective: The program does represent thoughtful accommodation design, recognizing that some guests face genuine barriers to standard processes while maintaining safety requirements and preventing misuse.
Check out the link for further details on how AAP works on various rides throughout the park. #inclusion
www.waterworldcolorado.com
THOUGHTSONTHURSDAY: I`m finally taking a moment to look back and memorialize June 21st, the 3rd Annual Neurodiversity Resource Fair. What an incredible day! This was my second year as a vendor sponsor, and honestly, it just keeps getting better.
Before I dive into my experience, I would like to take a moment to thank Tiffany Feingold and the entire Guiding Bright Minds team for their hard work in bringing together 97 vendors for this amazing event. The coordination and dedication it takes to create something this impactful is truly remarkable.
I was there representing Kids 1st Advocacy, ready to dive into all those tricky IEP and 504 plan questions that keep parents up at night—trust me, I`ve been there!
The turnout was absolutely amazing—1,200 registered families! As Colorado`s first event of its kind, you could really feel the excitement and need in the air. I spent the day chatting with so many parents, and every single story touched my heart. There`s something so powerful about that moment when a parent realizes they`re not alone in this journey, and that there are people who genuinely understand what they`re going through.
The kids were having a blast too! Dinger from the Colorado Rockies stopped by (he`s always a hit), and we had some fantastic surprise Star Wars characters that had the little ones, and even some grown-ups, absolutely starstruck. It was so heartwarming to see families actually enjoying themselves while learning about resources—that`s exactly how it should be.
But honestly, one of my favorite parts was connecting with other providers. We`re all in this because we genuinely care about these families, and there`s something magical about brainstorming together about how to best support each unique child. I walked away with so many new ideas and potential collaborations.
Days like these remind me exactly why I`m passionate about this work. Seeing families leave with hope, resources, and new connections—that`s what it`s all about. I`m already looking forward to next year!
#guidingbrightminds #resourcefair #whataday #kids1stadvocacy
WHATSUPWEDNESDAY - The Politico article, `Education Department Dismisses Thousands of Civil Rights Complaints at an "Unheard Of" Pace,` documents the Trump administration`s systematic dismantling of civil rights protections, with complaint dismissals at an unprecedented rate that threatens federal enforcement in schools nationwide.
Link: https://www.politico.com/news/2025/07/08/education-departments-civil-rights-com
📍 The Numbers: Between March 11 and June 27, 2025, the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) dismissed 3,424 complaints out of 4,833 received—a dismissal rate of roughly 71%. Only 309 cases were opened for investigation. By contrast, during the final three months of the Biden administration, OCR dismissed 2,527 cases while securing 449 resolution agreements and 146 successful mediations.
📍 Structural Decimation: The mass dismissals followed severe staffing cuts that eliminated seven of OCR`s 12 regional offices (Boston, Dallas, New York, Chicago, Cleveland, San Francisco, and Philadelphia). A federal judge later ordered workers reinstated, ruling the cuts left OCR able to handle only "a small fraction" of complaints.
📍 Policy Shift: Under Education Secretary Linda McMahon, OCR has redirected its focus to:
➡️ Combating campus antisemitism
➡️ Ending protections for transgender student athletes
➡️ Eliminating diversity, equity, and inclusion programs
➡️ Narrowing definitions of discrimination to exclude gender identity and
➡️ LGBTQ+ issues
📍 Expert Concerns: A former OCR official with 20 years of experience called the dismissal rate "unheard of," suggesting that the agency is abandoning proper procedures and dismissing cases it doesn`t want to investigate. Catherine Lhamon, who led OCR under Obama and Biden, characterized the data as showing a "shocking diminution of work output."
The Bottom Line: This represents a deliberate dismantling of civil rights protections that leaves students vulnerable to discrimination without federal recourse. The Trump administration is systematically abandoning its legal obligation to protect students, prioritizing a narrow ideological agenda over the safety and rights of children.
Join me at the 2025 Neurodiversity Resource Fair!
I`ll be on hand to answer your IEP and 504 questions throughout the event. This is an excellent chance for parents, educators, and professionals who support neurodivergent children to discover local resources, collect valuable tools, and connect with our community.
When: Saturday, June 21st, 10:00am – 2:00pm
Where: Accelerated Schools – 2160 S. Cook St., Denver, CO
Special Offer: The first 30 people to sign up for a 30-minute free consultation will receive a unique sensory kit!
Come with your questions and leave with practical support, new connections, and valuable resources.
FEATUREFRIDAY - Kids 1st Advocacy is celebrating a significant victory following a unanimous Supreme Court decision that makes it easier for students with disabilities to pursue civil rights claims against school districts.
👉 The Ruling: On June 12, 2025, the Supreme Court decided 9-0 in A.J.T. v. Osseo Area Schools that disability discrimination claims in educational settings should follow the same legal standards used in other areas of disability law. The Court ruled that students and families no longer need to prove school officials acted in "bad faith" or with "gross misjudgment" - a particularly difficult standard that some federal appeals courts had required for decades.
👉 Legal Impact: The Court emphasized that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) explicitly states it should not limit rights available under other federal disability laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act. By requiring a higher burden of proof for educational cases, lower courts had effectively made it harder for students with disabilities to enforce their civil rights compared to disability discrimination in other contexts.
👉 New Standards Going Forward: Under the Court`s guidance, families seeking court orders to stop discriminatory practices (injunctive relief) won`t need to prove intentional discrimination. However, those seeking monetary compensation will typically need to demonstrate "deliberate indifference" - showing the school district ignored a strong likelihood their actions would violate federal disability rights.
This decision removes a significant barrier that had made it uniquely challenging for students with disabilities to pursue civil rights protections in educational settings.
#Bigwin #VICTORY #Kids1stAdvocacy #EndDiscrimination #WinforDisabilityRights
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Our Mission
Kids 1st Advocacy empowers and supports families to secure the quality special education services their children deserve, ensuring every student has the opportunity to reach their full potential.
Our Vision
Kids 1st Advocacy envisions a world where every child with special needs receives an equitable, high-quality education tailored to their unique abilities, empowering them to lead independent, fulfilling lives and contribute meaningfully to society.