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.
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
WHAT IS A SPECIAL EDUCATION ADVOCATE?
Many children with learning differences struggle to make the progress they should from year to year—not because they can’t learn, but because their needs aren’t always fully understood or supported. Sometimes the right services aren’t in place, the learning environment isn’t a good fit, or the IEP doesn’t truly reflect the child’s unique strengths and challenges. Without the right accommodations, trained staff, and well-developed goals, students can miss out on the growth they’re capable of achieving. That’s where a skilled advocate comes in—someone who knows how to create an IEP that works for your child, protects your rights, and sets the stage for success.
A special education advocate can help you cut through the confusion and create a clear plan forward. Together, we’ll figure out where your child is now, where you want them to be, and the steps to get there. While advocates aren’t lawyers, we understand the laws that protect your child and can make sure the school is meeting its responsibilities. We also help identify the learning approaches that work best for your child and share strategies for overcoming challenges. Most importantly, we’re here to listen, guide, and stand by your side so you feel confident in getting your child the support they need to thrive.
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Welcome back! This is an important week! As students return from winter break, there`s a critical question many parents overlook: Is your child`s IEP team checking for regression?
Why This Matters Now: Extended breaks can affect skill retention, especially for students receiving special education services. Progress monitoring after breaks isn`t just good practice—it`s essential for:
👉 Identifying any skill loss during the time away; Determining if compensatory services are needed; Adjusting goals or services based on current performance; Documenting whether ESY (Extended School Year) should be considered for future breaks
What to Look For: Your child`s team should be collecting data on IEP goals immediately upon return. Any additional time means services are being provided and students are being assisted in meeting goals—and that means we have no baseline data to measure the impact of the extended break on your student.
The Evidence Trap: The window for capturing true regression data closes the moment intervention begins. This is the evidence trap districts often create (intentionally or not)—they start services immediately, then claim there`s "no data showing regression" because they never captured the post-break, pre-intervention baseline.
Your Data Matters Too: Parents should also share their own data from winter break, showing how their child performed when structure and routine are removed. Even Santa can`t fix that. Your observations about behavior changes, communication struggles, self-regulation challenges, or skill loss at home are valid evidence for the IEP team to consider.
What You Can Do: Reach out to your child`s case manager and ask directly: "What progress monitoring is happening immediately upon return to assess for any regression?" Document their response.
If regression is identified and services aren`t being adjusted, that`s when you request an IEP meeting to discuss compensatory education or increased services to recoup lost skills. This is also when ESY eligibility needs to be addressed—documented regression after breaks is one of the strongest indicators that your child requires Extended School Year services.
Check the website.
As 2025 comes to a close, I find myself reflecting on a year that has been both incredibly challenging and deeply meaningful.
This year, I had the privilege of attending my first International Dyslexia Association conference, where I witnessed history being made with a new definition of Dyslexia and connected with fellow advocates, learning specialists, and language experts who share my unwavering belief that parents shouldn`t have to fight for the specialized instruction their children with dyslexia deserve.
I attended my first expulsion hearing and celebrated a victory that mattered—a student exonerated and welcomed back to a school committed to her education and future.
I also witnessed the troubling reality of a school district filing suit after two of my families simply requested better, more comprehensive evaluations for their children.
I took the witness stand in support of one of my families, standing beside them as they fought for what their child needed.
Through the Bullying Recovery Resource Center, we raised $136,000 to help schools train their teachers and staff to spot bullying and its impact on students, and to help parents fight back when their children become targets. This cause reminds me daily why this work matters beyond the IEP table.
And perhaps most personally meaningful, I started the blog "What Would Troy Do" with my son, Troy—a project that brings together advocacy, insight, and the next generation`s perspective on neurodiversity and fighting for what`s right.
But above all, I am forever grateful to my families—the parents who trust me to advocate on their behalf, who keep up the fight even when it`s exhausting, and who remind me every single day that parents are meaningful participants at every IEP table and their voices matter.
Here`s to a year of hard-won victories, difficult battles, and the unwavering commitment to ensuring every child gets the education they deserve. Thank you for allowing me to walk alongside you in this fight.
Wishing you all a peaceful close to 2025 and strength for whatever comes next.
#2025Gratitude #ParentsVoiceMatters #IDA #BRRC #Kids1stAdvocacy
To all of you magical muggles:
Don`t forget that Christmas is celebrated extensively throughout the Harry Potter series—it appears in nearly every book and is portrayed as a significant, magical time at Hogwarts. Key Christmas moments across the series:
Philosopher`s Stone: Harry`s first Christmas at Hogwarts, receiving his father`s Invisibility Cloak, Christmas crackers with wizard prizes, the Great Hall decorations with twelve Christmas trees
Chamber of Secrets: Polyjuice Potion brewing during the holidays, nearly everyone going home except those staying for the plot
Prisoner of Azkaban: Harry stays at Hogwarts, gets the Firebolt
Goblet of Fire: The Yule Ball—a major Christmas celebration tied to the Triwizard Tournament
Order of the Phoenix: Christmas at Grimmauld Place with the Order
Half-Blood Prince: Christmas celebrations continue despite growing darkness
Deathly Hallows: Harry and Hermione visit Godric`s Hollow on Christmas Eve, visiting his parents` graves
Kids 1st Advocacy will be out of the office from December 22nd through January 4th, taking some much-needed time to rest and recharge - catching up on our favorite holiday themes and movies. May your holidays be filled with warmth, wonder, and the kind of magic that doesn`t require a wand. We will see you in the new year!
The R-word continues to perpetuate harmful stereotypes and maintain barriers for people with disabilities. As advocates, parents, and educators, we`ve worked too hard to build inclusive communities to remain silent when leaders model the opposite. Our children are watching—and they deserve better. #dobetterbebetter
This Thanksgiving, I`m thankful for a lot of things—my amazing families, dedicated teachers, and IEP teams who actually write measurable goals. Notice I said `measurable goals`—not `80% accuracy slapped on everything like seasoning on turkey.
Here`s the issue: How do you even collect data on "80% accuracy"?
80% of what? Of opportunities? Of the school day? Of observed intervals?
And here`s the question I get a lot from parents: Why isn`t it 100%?
I can`t tell you how many times I`ve sat at the IEP table and heard teachers say, "Well, we all make mistakes" or "Nobody`s perfect 100% of the time."
Okay, fine. But then, how can we know the student has truly mastered this skill?
Here`s the thing: sometimes 80% is appropriate—for skills in the acquisition phase, or when you`re building toward mastery. But it shouldn`t be the default for everything. And when it IS used, the team needs to explain WHY and HOW they`ll measure it.
A good goal criterion tells you exactly how to measure success. It shouldn`t leave you guessing.
So when you`re in that IEP meeting, and you see "80% accuracy" slapped on every goal? Ask:
"How will you collect data on this?"
"What counts as an opportunity?"
"Why 80% instead of 100%?"
"How will we know when my child has truly mastered this?"
Our kids deserve goals that are actually individualized and measurable. Not copy-paste criteria that sound official but mean nothing.
This Thanksgiving, I`m grateful for every educator willing to do better, every advocate pushing for real progress data, and every parent who asks the hard questions. Our kids deserve the clarity and accountability that truly measurable goals provide—and the chance to celebrate their growth along the way.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Now go enjoy your turkey (seasoned appropriately). #HappyThanksgiving #kids1stadvocacy #iepgoals
WHAT WOULD TROY DO - Read the latest blog from Troy as he shares his experiences with sensory issues. He was never officially diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder, but there have definitely been sensory concerns that have impacted him most of his life. While you`re there, head over to Troy`s Truth Booth to see whether a hot dog is really a taco and explore other philosophical ideas that run through Troy`s mind.
#WWTD #sensoryimpact #denimhurts #kids1stadvocacy #hotdogtaco
https://kids1stadvocacy.com/troys-storey/what-would-troy-do/understanding-sensory-processing-issues/
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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.